


Typical Situation

by kzam



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2017-01-19
Packaged: 2018-05-09 19:00:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 25,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5551625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kzam/pseuds/kzam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Zack and Cloud, inviting Angeal to join their relationship was a simple decision. Dealing with Angeal's ex-boyfriend turning back up? That's a bit more complicated (eventual ASGZC).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So, thanks for checking out this story! Just a quick note for anyone who may be wondering: 
> 
> This fic will include a variety of pairings leading to a very eventual ASGZC. It’s also worth mentioning this isn’t my usual take on this pairing, so I hope you came with an open mind! You can expect plenty of the characters just living out their day to day lives as they start to build toward that eventual ASGZC pairing.

Zack didn’t get nervous often, especially not around Cloud. A conversation like this though? Even he couldn’t predict how his boyfriend might react this time. It was way past the time to talk about it though, so he took Cloud’s hand into his own and clarified, “It’s more than that.”

Cloud blinked, his smile faltering slightly. “What’s that mean?”

It was a regular occurrence for Zack to notice how attractive a co-worker was, or someone he ran into in a book store, or a someone he met in the mall—just like it was normal for him to tell Cloud as much, to admit to the harmless flirting that may have occurred. There was no reason to deny it, and no reason for Cloud to worry about it.

Zack liked to flirt, but he loved Cloud. He made sure there was never any doubt about that. But they weren’t discussing his meaningless attraction toward a random person this time. Angeal was a mutual friend, one they’d known for several years now.

Originally he'd worked under Angeal as an intern, right out of college. A few years had passed since, and Zack had long since been hired on by the same company—he was head of his own department now, and his former boss had quickly become a solid work buddy. It hadn’t taken long for Cloud to meet Angeal as well after being dragged along to more than a few of Zack’s work functions.

And then that changed.

Somewhere along the line  _work buddies_ had blurred into buddies who did more than greet each other in passing or grab the occasional drink to catch up or blow off steam after work. They had become  _friends_ , and that came with the full benefit of hanging out around Cloud regularly as well—he  _did_ live with Zack, after all.

Angeal had eventually left the company, opting to open his own business—a venture Cloud had joined him on, as his own dabbles into the workforce hadn’t gone quite as smoothly as Zack’s. He was happy for both of them, supporting their decision in any way he could…but it was hard not to notice that they were spending even  _more_ time with Angeal since that change. Harder yet to ignore the fact he was enjoying it more and more.

“I don’t know, he’s just…there’s something about him I can’t shake,” Zack tried to explain. “You know what I mean, right?”

“He  _is_ …”

Handsome. Considerate. Kind. Probably at least a dozen other great things he could see Cloud struggling to say. The thought alone made his heart flutter in the most peculiar way, something he’d been trying to ignore for a few weeks too many now. He gave his boyfriend’s hand a gentle squeeze, encouraging him to think out loud.

“Okay, yeah,” Cloud admitted with a sigh. “I get what you mean. I just don’t get what you want to do about it.”

“I dunno, it all depends what  _you_ wanna do.”

“So you already know what you’d want then?”

“Kinda. But like I said, I wanna do what you wanna do.”

Cloud arched an eyebrow. “It’s fine, just tell me. Did you wanna try hooking up with him?”

Something they had done way back when—separate hookups. Fun but meaningless one night stands they had both agreed would be acceptable when their relationship was a bit more casual than it had become.

“Uh, yeah. But it’s more than that.”

“You want…both of us to hook up with him?”

Another thing they had tried a handful of times. Also fun, also casual—but something they had both found not quite as fulfilling as they had hoped. It had actually been the breaking point where they realized they either needed to be exclusive with each other, or call things off entirely. Neither had looked back since their decision to keep things between them only.

“Getting warmer.”

“You want us to do more than hook up with him?”

“…Only if you do.”

“Like…have him be a part of our relationship?” Cloud pressed, blinking when Zack nodded in acknowledgment. “Us and him? Regularly?”

“Yeah.”

Zack watched carefully, noticing the way Cloud’s eyes narrowed in thought. He had so many thoughts of his own about this—why it was a good idea, how it would work out with three of them…But it was a big change no matter how he presented it, so he bit his tongue, hoping to give Cloud time to really think about it himself.

This was something they’d never done before—something they’d never even discussed. Dating anyone else. Their relationship had been exclusive for years now, and they’d been much happier since. It was  _Angeal_ they were talking about though. That alone made it different in a way he couldn’t totally pinpoint. They had other mutual friends, but the connection he felt with Angeal was unlike the rest.

“He’s my business partner,” Cloud said, an obvious but necessary statement.

“Hey, that’s why it’s a discussion. If you’re not comfortable about something, that’s fine. It’s not like you work for ShinRa and there’s tons of policy about this stuff. I figure you guys are your own bosses—you’re both mature enough to handle it if we took a step in that direction and it doesn’t work out or something. Just a matter of whether or not you think it’s worth the risk.”

“…I don’t think he’s the kind of guy to hold a grudge.”

“I don’t either. And it’s not like we know how he feels about us—I mean, he  _likes_ us, but that doesn’t mean he’s interested in more, right?”

“Right. I guess we could talk to him about it first. There’s no point stressing if he’s not even into the idea.”

“But  _you’re_ into the idea, right? You can tell me if it’s not something—”

“Zack,” Cloud interrupted, slightly exasperated. “If I wasn’t into it, I’d have said so by now.”

“You’re sure? You don’t sound…I dunno, enthusiastic.”

“I’ve been thinking about him maybe more than I let on,” he admitted slowly. “There’s definitely something about him, and if we both agree and we both could see something more with him…you’re right, maybe it’d be worth pursuing.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Wanting to see if he makes this even better doesn’t make it any less. Right?”

Cloud scoffed, instantly easing the rest of Zack’s potential concerns. “Of course not.”

“So you could see it—all three of us together?”

“Yeah, I could. I mean, he’s over so often anyway lately, he already kinda feels like more than any of our other friends. It’s not that big of a stretch to think about even more with him.”

“You think he’d be interested?”

Cloud considered it shortly. “He always play along with your flirts.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean much, it’s just fun—most people play along.”

“I guess. Your flirts are kinda different with him though. And he blushes.”

“Does he?”

“Yeah,” Cloud confirmed with a small smile. “It’s really cute on a big guy like him.”

“Look at you! You’re blushing just thinking about it. Almost makes me wish I’d brought all this up sooner.”

“How long have you been thinking about it?”

Zack shrugged. “I dunno exactly. I guess it kinda started when we found out he was single again, but I never thought about you any less so I kept trying to shrug it off, ya know?” Cloud nodded in understanding. “It wasn’t until our holiday party that it occurred to me there might be a better solution.”

“Why the party? Nothing even happened.”

“Uh, because you two got each other for the gift swap and both spent an entire  _month_ stressing about what to get! It was cute at first, but borderline obnoxious by the end of the month.”

“I didn’t wanna get him something he wouldn’t like.”

“It was a twenty gil price limit! Anything was gonna be a silly gift, that’s the entire point!”

“I know, but I wanted to get him something nice still.”

“And that was when I realized how bad you had it! Anyone else woulda just gotten him a potted plant and called it a day.”

“Everyone gets him gardening stuff.”

“Exactly! You care enough to notice things like that and do something special instead, even when it’s just s’posed to be a silly gift exchange. And  _him_ , I still can’t believe he got you that book! I looked it up, y’know. That author hasn’t had a leg of his book tour in this area in almost a year—he’s doing a full Gaia tour, so he’s all over the place.”

“So?”

“So for Ang to get that autographed by the author, he musta gone way outta his way. And that’s gotta boost the value way up past the twenty gil mark, right? For a guy that cheap, that’s impressive.”

So impressive that he’d been a little jealous that  _he_ hadn’t gotten Cloud such a thoughtful gift. He followed Cloud’s gaze to their bookshelf, eyeing the book in its prominent place;  _To Be Loved,_ by Genesis Rhapsodos. One of their favorites, albeit a guilty pleasure more than anything. Usually he was more into adventure fantasy or sci-fi stuff, but at some point he and Cloud had both started reading the occasional romance novel. Their interest had only gone up when Genesis Rhapsodos hit the writing scene, his book a complete standout in the genre.

The man had a talent, arguably second only to the renowned Sephiroth Crescent.

“It was definitely better than what I ended up getting him,” Cloud concluded, tearing his eyes away from the book to meet Zack’s again. “Is he still coming by for dinner tonight?”

“Uh, it’s meatball Monday, he’d better be here!”

Angeal  _did_ make the best meatballs. Cloud seemed to be thinking the same thing, promptly pulling out his phone. “I’ll send him a message to make sure.”

“You think we should talk to him about all this tonight, or do you wanna talk it out just us a bit more?”

His boyfriend looked over at him. “Is there more you wanted to talk about?”

“Nah, I mean, I think that’s everything. I want more, you want more—makes sense to go for it.”

“Then let’s go for it.”

**\----------**

Angeal’s meatballs looked and smelled delightful, as expected. He always joked about how he was supposed to be the guest, not the cook, but he was the first one to get his hands messy in the kitchen when he came by to see Zack and Cloud. The weird thing was, none of them were even sure how their little Monday night tradition had begun—they were just sure they were enjoying it.

“Go sit down now!” Zack insisted, gently steering Angeal out of the kitchen. “I got the rest of this under control.”

“Remember not to burn the garlic bread.”

“ _Again_ ,” Cloud added, winking when he caught Zack’s eyes.

He huffed playfully, wasting no time headed back into the kitchen because…well, he might’ve forgotten how long the garlic bread had been in now that he was thinking about it. Everything else was basically done for him, waiting to be plated up already.

The bread, thankfully, was done perfectly when he peered into the oven. He pulled out some plates, listening in on the conversation in the next room as he began portioning out their meals.

“So,” Angeal began, taking a long sip of his beer, “how’d that meeting go?”

“It went okay,” Cloud replied. “I think he’s trying to play it cool—read the contract again overnight before calling with his answer tomorrow. I’m pretty sure he’s gonna sign though.”

“Oh yeah? Maybe you should handle those meetings more often. He sounded like a tough sell when we set that meeting up.”

“I think I prefer handling the designs and deliveries,” Cloud said, both men laughing softly. “You’re better at dealing with those people.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. We haven’t even been in business for a year yet and our growth numbers are three times what we expected. And just think, our flour cost will go down 20% if he signs—that’s huge! And all of that, it’s not just me—that’s  _us_. As a team.”

“Us,” Cloud repeated, bringing a smile to Zack’s face.

It was like they’d given him a cue to enter the dining area, and he was ready to run with it.

“Us, huh?” Zack said, a plate in each hand and a third balanced gracefully on his forearm. Maybe he was showing off just a little. He passed them out effortlessly before settling down in his own chair, not skipping a beat now that he had both their attention. “I like the sound of that.”

“Yeah, too bad you’re not included.”

Angeal chuckled. “That’s right—you’re ShinRa’s plaything still.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault you deserted,” Zack teased, putting on his best smile. “I’ll be the first one to admit the company has its problems, but that’s what I’m working toward, right? Solutions.”

“You’re going to solve all ShinRa’s environmental problems from the marketing department?” Angeal asked, half serious and half joking.

“Trust me on this, I’m a first class businessman these days. I can convince them that marketing eco-friendly, clean energy would be a breeze—that profits would go up with a few changes. I just need a little more time to get them some specific projections. These kinda people only think in numbers.”

“You always did like to take on big challenges,” Angeal said fondly.

“Yep. I feel like I got some of that from you actually. Someone’s gotta be the hero, right?”

“Little did you know I’d turn tail and go open a custom cake shop.”

Zack laughed. “I shoulda known. You were always talking about dreams and all that—it only made sense for you to go pursue yours. And ya know, I can’t say I blame you—I mean, not only do you get to make fancy cakes all day, youget to work with Midgar’s sexiest deliveryman!”

“Well, I won’t argue with you on that.”

Zack raised an eyebrow, his smile turning into a big smirk. “Oh?”

“Oh, no,” Angeal corrected quickly, clearing his throat. He turned his attention to the blond. “What I mean is, it’s been a pleasure working with you, Cloud. I couldn’t ask for a better business partner. Not to say that you aren’t Midgar’s sexiest deliveryman—that’s something I haven’t put a lot of thought into.”

“But you  _did_ think about it?”

“ _Zack!”_ Cloud said, looking more red than Angeal did. It never got old seeing him get like that, even after all these years.

“What? He knows I’m kidding around. Plus, it’s not like I’m gonna be upset if he says yeah. I’m kinda hoping he will at this point.”

“You are?” Angeal asked, brows furrowed.

“Look, let’s stop beating around the bush here. Cloud and I were talking about it and we both kinda feel like you’re more to us than just another one of our friends. You’re…different.”

“You’ve been here for me through some difficult times—this last year in particular…I don’t know what I would’ve done without your support.”

“Yeah, but it’s a lot more than that now. To us at least.”

Zack nudged Cloud with his elbow, shooting him an encouraging look. It was his turn to chime in. If they were serious about this, they needed to make it clear it was something they  _both_ wanted.

The dilemma was clear on Cloud’s face though. Neither of them were the best at explaining how they felt  _romantically._ Cute or fun? Sure. Smooth or charming? Zack could handle that, too. They were even pretty good at being straight up blunt these days.

The mushier bits were a bit more complicated, for Cloud especially. Zack nodded reassuringly, hoping Cloud would take a hint—he didn’treally needto say anything mushy here. He just needed to say  _something._

“We care about you more than we’d originally planned, Ang,” Cloud settled on, tacking on a tiny smile.

“…How so?”

“We want take allthis all to the next level with you,” the blond explained slowly. “Maybe call this date night instead of meatball Monday. See how things for from there.”

Angeal, bless his heart, looked completely dumbfounded. “You want to date me?” The two nodded. “Both of you do?” Another pair of nods. “All together though?”

“Yeah,” the boyfriends answered, one amused but no less sincere.

“You just seem so happy together already. Why would you want—”

“We’re happy,” Zack jumped in quickly, reaching out to give Cloud’s hand an obvious squeeze on the tabletop. Neither pulled back after. “Hell, things are the best they’ve ever been right now. But we think with you it’d be even better.”

“Yeah,” Cloud agreed easily. “We spend so much time together already—I mean, I never thought I’d be this close to anyone other than Zack, but with you it’s just…”

“Easy,” Angeal finished, nodding in agreement with the sentiment. “I feel the same about both of you.”

The long pause that followed was a bit unsettling though.

Zack could practically see the high hopes draining from Cloud’s face, replaced by a look of caution. He tried to keep his own expression neutral, but his stomach was turning in a way that felt all wrong on meatball Monday.

“…But?” he prompted gently, the silence too much.

“It’s not a but,” Angeal responded instantly. “It’s more…I guess I feel a little out of my depth here. I’ve never done this before—gotten involved with more than one person like this.”

“Neither have I,” Zack admitted, hand on the back of his neck. “But, I mean, we all care about each other, right? We have fun together, we  _want_ it to work—that’s at least half the battle in any relationship!”

“And the other half?” he asked, glancing in Cloud’s direction.

“Communication and follow through,” the blond answered, almost automatically. The sudden confidence in his voice brought the smile back to Zack’s face. “I’ve never done this either, but I’m pretty sure that’s the same no matter how many people you’re with.”

Angeal seemed to be considering them both seriously, taking his time to really think it over. “You’re right,” he said finally. “I’m willing to give it a try, if you’re sure.”

“We’re sure,” Zack confirmed, reaching out with his other hand to snatch Angeal’s. “This just feels right.”

“It’s been a while since I was involved with anyone romantically.”

“No big deal. Like you guys said, things’ve always been easy with us. We’ll just tackle it day by day, see how it goes.”

“So…date night?” Angeal clarified, looking from Zack to Cloud tentatively.

“Yep! Thanks for making the meatballs, babe!”

Cloud rolled his eyes. “You’re gonna run him off on our first date.”

“Hey, if he was that easy to run off, he woulda stopped hanging out with us ages ago.”

“Sometimes I  _do_ wonder what’s kept me around.”

They shared a laugh, the remaining nerves dwindling away as they clinked their bottles together. The food was probably a bit cold by now, but no one seemed to mind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the support!

 

Angeal had originally expected jealousy. Bursts of inexplicable or irrational behavior, at the very least.

It wasn't that he _wanted_ any of those things, but it just seemed realistic under the circumstances. Sure, Zack and Cloud had never behaved in a manner that justified his concerns, but having three people in a relationship…just because it _sounded_ nice didn't mean it would automatically be smooth sailing. And if things went wrong after those two had been together for so long, it didn't take an expert to figure he'd be the odd one out.

So he'd kept his guard up and expectations low, still putting in his best effort, but with caution—with as much awareness as possible, hoping at least he wouldn't be blindsided if something _did_ go wrong.

They hadn't been together particularly long (a few months, he figured) when it finally clicked though.

There was nothing to worry about with these two. Whether or not they'd last forever was up in the air, but he was sure jealousies wouldn't be a factor regardless. Once he'd accepted that truth, things had only gotten better among them.

That, of course, didn't mean they weren't still working out a few issues here and there. It was becoming more and more obvious he wasn't the only one who had entered the relationship with some lingering concerns.

"We spent all day together," Cloud said, a hand on his hip. Zack countered it by folding his arms across his chest, looking as good as ever with his amused expression. "Don't give me that look! I'm just saying, it's fine if you wanna come with us."

"Work doesn't count as spending time together," Zack insisted firmly. "You seem to forget that I've worked with both of you at different points, so I _know_. Aside from a lunch break, you probably don't even give yourselves the chance to look at each other."

Assuming their breaks lined up, Angeal thought with a frown. Just because they worked together didn't mean they literally worked _together—_ they handled different aspects of their business, sometimes going the entire workday without seeing one another.

"I think Zack has a point, Cloud," Angeal decided, reaching out and putting an arm around the blond just because he could.

Cloud sunk comfortably into his side, letting out a short sigh. "I'm not saying he doesn't have a point, I just mean…I don't want anyone to feel like they're being left out."

"I dunno how many ways you want me to tell you I don't feel left out. If anything, I feel bad! Ang and I've gone on twice as many dates as you guys because you keep getting it in your head that work counts or that we're keeping score or something."

"I know we're not keeping score," Cloud grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I just…I really want things to work with all of us."

"Things are going great! Stop overthinking it," Zack encouraged, shooing them toward the door. "Have an awesome time tonight, seriously."

"We will," Angeal said, smiling as Zack leaned in for a kiss.

He had expected Cloud to get the same treatment, but found himself laughing when Zack opted to give the blond a slap on the ass and a wink instead.

"I don't wanna see either of you until tomorrow," Zack joked, waving goodbye one last time before shutting the door to the house he shared with Cloud.

"I swear, he's such a pain in the ass," the blond muttered, though he was chuckling under his breath by that point. "Literally this time."

"He means well."

"I know he does. And I know he's right. Maybe I'm just trying too hard."

"I appreciate all the effort you're putting in, and I'm sure Zack does as well," Angeal told him. "But it's important not to forget yourself, too. You make sure Zack and I have so much time together, but that means you're not able to spend as much time with either of us."

"I kinda noticed that," he admitted quietly. "But then I felt like the time I _did_ get with each of you or altogether was perfect anyway, so…it was worth it in a way, if that makes sense."

"I understand. It doesn't have to be that way though—we can all get what we want from this relationship," Angeal said, smiling warmly when he met Cloud's eyes. "I was worried at first that this may be strange for you two, seeing someone you've been with for so long off with another man. But it's almost like our problem is the opposite."

"What do you mean?"

"You're both more concerned about the other not spending enough time with me."

"Well, yeah. I mean, there's definitely no jealousy—we wouldn't have agreed to this if we thought it'd make things weird with us, you know? Zack and I are solid."

"I know that now."

"And actually, it's one of my favorite things—hearing about the stuff you guys get up to when you go out," Cloud explained, the fondness obvious in his tone. "We never wanted you to feel like an outsider—like me and him being together for so long meant you were less important."

"I never felt that way, but I did worry for a while it might end up like that if there was an argument or something along those lines. You've both done more than enough to show me otherwise by now though." He paused, smiling warmly as he met Cloud's eyes. "Why don't we focus on tonight instead of all this? I want to make this time together count."

"What'd you have in mind?"

"Well, I was planning to bring you back to my place and make you dinner, but I think a night out might do us some good," Angeal suggested. "Why don't we go to that place you like—the Nibel one that Zack doesn't like?"

"Really?" Cloud asked, clearly skeptical.

"Just because he doesn't like your hometown food doesn't mean I won't."

"I guess I'm just used to compromising on a place we both like," he said, smiling a bit. "But yeah, you know what—that'd be great. I bet you'll like it, actually. The foods are just heavier than what Zack's used to."

"I'm sure I'll find something I like," Angeal assured him, opening the door to the passenger's seat of his car. Cloud stole a quick kiss before sliding in, Angeal hurrying around to the other side.

It was only a ten minute drive, but it flew by, worries forgotten as they got into the details of their days. Again Angeal was awed to think how they really were in different worlds despite working so closely together. Cloud had spent most the day on a delivery just outside the city, while Angeal had stayed in the shop to get started on their next order.

Everything they said was something that could wait though—a conversation they could have the next time they _did_ get to interact at work.

"Maybe we should make it a rule not to talk about work tonight either," he suggested, carefully parking the car as they arrived.

Cloud looked over at him curiously. "So you don't wanna talk about our relationship, you don't wanna talk about work—what _do_ you want to talk about tonight, Mr. Hewley?"

"I'd like to talk about you," he replied smoothly.

"Nothing to say," Cloud said with a shrug. "You already know everything there is to know."

"I doubt that," Angeal said, taking Cloud by the hand as they walked inside. He responded with a _two_ when asked how many, the pair following the hostess over to a cozy looking booth in the far corner of the restaurant. It was actually a lot busier than he'd expected, but it didn't take long to block all that out as he met Cloud's eyes again. "You know, I've always wondered how you became a deliveryman of all things."

Cloud laughed, clearly surprised by his boyfriend's first inquiry. "How do you not know this already?"

"I don't know—but that's what this is all about, right? Filling in the missing details."

"There's not really a story. Zack had graduated a couple years ahead of me and he'd just…I mean, you know him. He'd gone from intern to signed on so quickly—it was obvious he was on the fast track with ShinRa," Cloud explained, smiling at some unspoken memory. Angeal rubbed his thumb over the blond's knuckles, waiting patiently to hear more. "I ended up applying for the internship slot that opened when he got his official position. I didn't get it."

"ShinRa has never been known for their good judgment."

He laughed softly. "Yeah, well, I can see it was for the best now. Hearing some of Zack's stories about that place…"

"I've been much happier since I left the company," Angeal said solemnly.

"I bet. But basically, I was fresh out of school, and—" Cloud cut himself off, glancing up as their server arrived.

"Cloud! Long time no see!" the man greeted, a big smile on his face.

"You know how Zack is," Cloud replied with a shrug.

The man laughed, nodding at that. "At least he's friendly about his complaints. Is he around too? I can bring over a third menu if—"

"Oh, no, he's at home. This is my date for the night."

"I see," the man said, his smile present but shrinking. "Can I get you guys something to drink, an appetizer maybe?"

"Nibel ale," Cloud responded, not bothering to eye the drink menu. "Just a bottle though, not the big pint this time."

The man turned his gaze on Angeal. "And for you?" he asked, his voice unmistakably sharp.

"I think I'll just have water for now, thank you."

"I'll be right back with those then!"

"Wow," Angeal muttered, chuckling softly when their waiter was out of hearing range. "Is he a friend of yours?"

"Oh, no. I'm not even a regular here—they only remember me because of Zack," Cloud explained, rolling his eyes. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said you were my date, that's probably why he looked at you like you were some kinda home wrecker or something."

"You have nothing to apologize for. I'm glad you said that—we don't owe anyone an explanation. I'm more curious why they remember Zack so well if he doesn't come often."

"You know how waiters come around to check on you, make sure everything tastes good?"

"Of course."

"Well, Zack's always really honest about how much he doesn't like it," the blond said, grinning as he shook his head. "He's nice about it, but it always turns into a big joke. I think he's the only person who could tell someone their food is awful and still get them to laugh about it."

"I can imagine."

"Seriously, if you ever want a good laugh, bring Zack here and you'll see for yourself. He can never just order a salad or something he knows he won't mind—he always goes for something he's never heard of and just hates it."

"I might have to do that one of these nights." Angeal paused, catching sight of the waiter returning with their drinks. He eyed the menu quickly, settling on a Nibel stew—Cloud got his usual, which was apparently some type of casserole Angeal had never heard of before. The waiter only sent him one more subtle scowl before leaving them in peace, both choosing to just ignore it this time. "So—you were telling me how you came to be Midgar's sexiest deliveryman?"

Cloud laughed instantly, looking like he choked a little on his beer. "Don't call me that."

"What? I think I'm allowed to say it now."

"Seriously, there's gotta be a better compliment you can come up with," Cloud insisted with a smirk. Angeal just smiled in return, giving Cloud the time to get back to the real subject. "So the internship. Obviously I didn't get it. I was really down about it, but I needed a job so I started applying all around. The first call I got was from a delivery service. I did an interview, got the job, and that was that. Not a great story."

"I don't know about that, I enjoyed hearing it."

"You already know the better story. How I was going to start applying for different jobs but decided I'd rather work for myself instead. How I started saving all my gil. Just like you know I would've had to keep saving for years if you hadn't suggested we get into business together."

Angeal couldn't help smiling fondly at the soft look on Cloud's face.

It was a bit harder to look back on some of that time himself. Working for ShinRa had never been fulfilling, and after a difficult breakup…well, he'd been ready for a big change in his day to day life. He'd _needed_ it, the mundane routine highlighting the absence of the only man who had made it tolerable.

But now he had his dream job, two amazing boyfriends, and a renewed sense of purpose. Maybe it hurt to look back, and maybe there were times when he missed the man who left him behind…but at the end of the day, he wouldn't change a thing.

"Ang?" Cloud gently prodded.

"Sorry. I was just thinking how lucky I am," he explained, shaking the stray thoughts from his head.

"Lucky?"

"Yes. It was all good timing, wasn't it? We were both at a point in our lives where we wanted change, neither of us were ready to go for it alone. It wasn't exactly a great business decision though, rushing into it together the way we did."

Cloud snorted. "Yeah. I can't say I knew much about cakes."

"But here we are, still in business. It turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I thought you'd mostly just handle deliveries, but you've done so much more than that. Our business would've sunk in the first month if you hadn't stepped up the way you did."

"Ang, we're already sleeping together, you don't need to flatter me."

"It's not flattery. I was naïve to think I could handle all the other aspects of the business by myself. Getting into the cake business is a lot more than just baking."

"Yeah, but you had years of business experience."

"There's a big difference between working for a big business and running a small one."

"I guess we _are_ a pretty good team."

"We are," he agreed, smiling warmly. It didn't fade until their food arrived, Angeal wasting no time trying a large spoonful. It tasted...interesting. Not bad, but not quite what he'd expected. "What's in this anyway?"

Cloud eyed him for a long moment. "You probably don't wanna know." 

The frown deepened on his face as he looked from his boyfriend to his bowl, then back up again. Before he could decide whether or not he really  _did_ want to know, the blond was outright laughing at him, the sound far too light and infectious for him to be anything other than amused as well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Just a heads up for anyone who may not have noticed - I posted two chapters today, so you may wanna swing back and check out Chapter Two if you missed that. Thanks so much for the support!

Cloud watched as Angeal diligently boxed up yet another of his masterpieces, smirking when his newest boyfriend was finally content with the packaging. So focused…it never got old seeing how invested Angeal was in every single aspect of his job. Finally he looked up, smiling back at Cloud.

"You know," Angeal said, taking a step away from the counter before tugging Cloud in close, "I've thought about this before."

"About what?"

"Reaching out and grabbing you just like this—right here. It finally occurred to me that nothing's stopping me anymore."

He raised both brows. They'd been very careful about treading this path since their relationship had started six months prior…mixing business with pleasure. Work had, for the most part, remained just that— _work._

But there was no denying Cloud liked where this conversation was going. "Is that all?"

"Well, I've thought about much more. But this is a cake shop even if we're not set up for customers like a regular bakery. We have to keep things sanitary back here."

"Maybe we can head up to my office and you can tell me more about what you had in mind."

"Mm, I'd like that," Angeal agreed, kissing Cloud's neck so sweetly. "After you take this though. The buyer won't be pleased if we miss the drop off time. It came out perfectly too—I'm excited to hear about their reaction when they see it."

"Right," Cloud muttered, both frazzled and disappointed when Angeal pulled back. He reached out, cupping Angeal's face and drawing him back in for one quick kiss before brushing his thumb gently over the man's right cheek. "You had some flour there."

"Thank you. You'd better get going before we get too distracted."

"Yeah. You have another order to get started on, right?"

"Three more this week," Angeal confirmed.

Cloud frowned—it was already Thursday. Three more cakes this week meant Angeal would be pulling some extra hours, again.

These weren't simple, round cakes with a coat of frosting and a sloppy _happy birthday_ iced on top.

These were custom cakes, shaped and decorated to suit each individual client's need. Every single one was its own extended project for Angeal—from baking the cakes, making the fondant and icings, and creating the homemade toppings (candies, cupcakes, and a full assortment of other edible delights) to crafting the materials into the image the buyer had in mind for their event (in this case, a two foot tall cactaur cake, one arm up and one arm down. Its body was covered in 1,000 edible 'needles', as per the client's original request.)

…It was a time consuming process, to say the least.

More so than Cloud had initially realized, and he was a 50/50 partner in the business. He just handled designing the cakes though—sketching out the orders as they were received, confirming details with their clients, and ultimately delivering them upon completion (sometimes out of the city even, if they were being paid enough). On top of all that, he had to handle their schedules, making sure not to overbook any given day or week since they were a two man show at the moment.

It was actually a lot of work on most days, but it was the easy job comparatively. They both handled meetings with suppliers as they could, though with their business on the rise, Cloud was doing as much as he could on the business end to free up Angeal's time for more orders.

"We need to hire a baking assistant," Cloud insisted, something that was becoming a repetitive suggestion now.

"We need to think about getting a company van to transport these safely, too," Angeal countered.

"They're safe on the back of my bike. I made that custom cooler myself just for these cakes, and I always turn slow enough that nothing shifts or falls apart."

"It's not just about that, it's about your own safety. Some of the designs are getting more and more detailed—they're bigger and heavier. The extra weight could—"

"Even with everything I have back there to secure it, it's not like a cake'll ever be heavier than having a person back there."

"But a cake doesn't lean with you when you turn."

Cloud frowned. Maybe Angeal had a point there. "I guess. Profits are high enough to warrant both, so we can talk about that later. For now, I think the priority needs to be getting a baking assistant in here as soon as we can. We could even hire two and open that front section up for regular customers, like a real shop. Do some pre-made cakes for people who can't afford to special order like this."

"I _would_ like my cakes to be more accessible to the average person. I think we could still do some unique designs still, even if they aren't as customized. Maybe some other baked goods for people who want something small."

"I better get this secured to the bike and head out," Cloud said, eyeing the clock quickly. "We'll talk more about all this later?"

"I'll be gone by the time you're back from that one. Zack said something about a surprise night on the town, just the two of us."

Cloud smiled warmly—Zack _had_ mentioned that to him earlier. Angeal was definitely in for a treat. "No problem. I guess we'll just have to find time to have that office meeting we talked about tomorrow—then we can work out those other details after."

"Sounds good. Let me know how they like the cake?"

"Of course," Cloud replied, letting Angeal steal one last kiss. "Have fun tonight."

"You too."

"I will. I haven't had the place to myself in ages—I might be able to get some stuff done without being interrupted for a change."

Like comb through their schedules to see about freeing up time to do some employee interviews. There was also a cracked cabinet door that had become something of an eyesore, and he knew it was only a matter of time before Angeal took it upon himself to fix it if he didn't get to it first…

That or maybe he could read his newest book— _LOVELESS_ , the highly anticipated sequel to _To Be Loved._ Zack had surprised him with a copy of the book that very morning, and the gesture seemed a lot more thoughtful now that he remembered both his boyfriends would be out that evening.

The dramatic new title and use of capital letters definitely sparked Cloud's interest already, and he was more than a little curious to see how it would factor into the story. _To Be Loved_ had been such an uplifting romance, he was actually a bit worried to think about what might be in store for the characters this time around.

Yeah, the more he thought it over, the more he needed to find out. Some alone time to read sounded relaxing, too. He'd just need to check the work calendar before headed home, and the pesky cabinet could wait a few more days.

* * *

 

Page 263.

_"My friend, the fates are cruel," Ignis said, so whimsically as he eyed Gladiolus. He reached out, tracing his fingers delicately along Gladiolus' muscled arms._

_"We knew this day would come."_

_An understatement given the circumstances. It hurt to say more though—to think about what it meant now that this day had finally arrived._

_"I'm happy for you," Gladiolus insisted. It would have been soothing if not for the crack in his voice. "I always knew you'd succeed."_

_A long pause lingered in the air, unpleasant and unbefitting two men who had known each other for so many years. At the end of it, Ignis reached out, offering the book in his hand to the larger man._

_"For you," he muttered, his smile looking a bit forced as well. "You know, it's not too late to change your mind, Gladiolus. You can come with me."_

Cloud could feel his heart breaking, too invested in their relationship to sit idly by while they…broke up? But there wasn't much else he could do other than keep going—keep reading and see them through to the end. There were still a hundred pages at least, which meant there was time for them to work it out.

He kept scanning the pages, eager yet tense—but even as focused as he was, there was no mistaking the sound of Zack's car pulling up into their driveway.

_"You know I can't, Ignis. We've been over this a dozen times now."_

_"And you were wrong each time. I love you—I want you to join me."_

_"I love you too," Gladiolus responded, a severe frown on his face as he eyed his lover. "That doesn't change anything. My life is here."_

_"Am I not an important part of your life?"_

_"Of course you are! Don't say it like that, it's not—"_

_"I've offered to pay. I can take care of us, Gladiolus, if you'd just let me."_

_"…You know I can't let you do that. It's not…it's just not who I am, Ig. I need to work—to pitch in and do things for myself."_

_"Yes, you've always been that way. Stubbornly so."_

_"You say it like I'm the only one being stubborn. We can make this work—it's only a few months."_

_"The first leg of the tour is a few months. It's a two year contract. Unless something goes terribly awry, we both know I'll be gone for the duration."_

_"I can wait for you."_

_"That's not how I want to live my life," Ignis said, and not for the first time. "I can handle time apart, but two years? We both know that won't work for me. I'm not ashamed to say I'm too needy for that."_

_"If you're going to go, then go."_

_"It's so easy to send me away after all this time?"_

_"Stop doing that—acting like this doesn't matter to me. It matters, Ignis, and I'm not happy about it."_

_"You just told me you were happy—"_

_"I'm happy you're achieving your dreams! That you get to go have all the experiences you've imagined for all these years. I'm not happy you're leaving me behind in the process."_

_"Not by choice."_

_"…I think we've both made our choices here."_

_"Apparently we have. I'll see you in two years then—don't wait for me."_

There was no way to tear his eyes away from the page as the door opened, two sets of footsteps ignored as he pressed onward.

"Hey, babe. How's the book?"

Cloud held up a finger, still scanning the page. His jaw dropped slightly, Ignis walking out the door and leaving Gladiolus there…neither looking back. Those idiots! It was infuriating to think about, especially after everything they had gone through— _years_ of friendship leading to a well-deserved romance—how could either walk away so easily?

They were both too stubborn for their own good—too hurt to realize they were just hurting themselves more by letting this happen.

"No spoilers!" Zack exclaimed, a hand on his hip as he eyed Cloud. "I can tell by the look on your face something bad happened, and I don't wanna know. I'm planning to read it when you were done."

"I might stay up to finish it tonight," Cloud admitted, reluctantly closing the book and leaving it on the arm rest as he hopped up to properly greet both of his boyfriends. The nagging voice in his head was still dying to keep reading, but damn it felt good to wrap his arms around these two. "Did you guys have a good time?"

"It was the best date I've had in years. Other than our date nights altogether, of course," Angeal answered, chuckling softly as Zack's smirk grew. "What're you reading? I thought you said you had things to do tonight."

"Uh, I did, but this sounded more fun," he explained with a shrug. He snatched the book and offered it to Angeal to take a look, his boyfriend eyeing it over curiously. "Zack got it for me—it just came out a few days ago. It's actually the sequel to—"

" _To Be Loved,"_ Angeal finished, his smile faltering. "I hadn't realized there was a sequel."

"I don't think it was planned originally. The book really took off though, and so many people wanted more—I guess the author couldn't say no. It's really good so far, but totally heartbreaking."

"No spoilers!" Zack warned again, completely serious as he pointed a finger at Cloud.

Of course, Cloud just rolled his eyes in response to that. "You know," he started, turning his attention to Angeal. Something about what he was going to say felt… _right_ , but he still felt weird saying it out loud after thinking it for so long. Angeal just looked so patient as he paused though, his eyes giving Cloud the courage to continue, "You kinda look like how I imagine one of the main characters. Before we were together even, I always had you in mind when I read the first book."

"Hey, me too!" Zack admitted eagerly. "All that's missing are the tattoos."

"It's not that surprising," Angeal said, letting out a short sigh. "The character is…"

"You read the first book?"

"You could say that. I basically had it recited to me from start to finish," Angeal explained carefully.

"Your ex was a fan?" Cloud guessed, not super surprised—it _was_ a pretty popular book. What was more surprising was Angeal's beet red face and the way he was struggling to hold eye contact with either of them now. "Ang, are you okay?"

"Remember how I told you my ex-boyfriend was a writer?"

"Yeah—the guy you were with before us. You said he took off to pursue his…" Zack paused, eyes lighting up with realization. It took a minute before Cloud caught on, not quite sure if he believed it. "No way. You actually _are_ Gladiolus?"

"No, he's a fictional character," Angeal said sternly. "He's just…based off me. Genesis had added some extra details like the different hairstyle and the tattoos because I felt awkward about the whole thing. He made Ignis look different from himself too, something about how he didn't want to seem pompous by blatantly having the lead man match his description."

"How'd he pick your name? Was it like…a kinky codename?"

"No! I have a cousin named Gladiolus, and Gen liked to tease about—" Angeal shook his head, cutting himself off. "It doesn't matter. The point is, I had no idea he was writing a follow up piece."

"Well, I guess I can kinda assume they break up, huh?" Zack realized, pouting a bit.

"Maybe not," Cloud said slowly. "I've got a hundred pages still—it could be he changed things for the sake of fiction. People like happy endings."

"I can't believe he wrote another book and didn't even tell me," Angeal grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I would've… _warned_ you or something. I didn't think it was a big enough deal to mention before."

"Hey, don't worry about that," Zack told him, rubbing smooth, calming circles into Angeal's back. "I'm sure Cloud and I have exes we haven't been that specific about too. I mean, who cares now?"

"Yeah, we all have crap in our pasts. It's not like it's a secret, but sometimes it's just not work talking about."

"Thank you. Both of you," Angeal said, his smile slowly returning. "It's definitely just that—crap from my past. We broke up nearly two years ago, and I'm happier now than I can remember being in…I don't even know how long. Between having a new career, and having both of you—I couldn't ask for more."

"So, wait. Did you really meet when you were just kids?"

"Yes."

"And so you grew up together?"

"…Yes."

"And you had a crush on him and thought it was unrequited all that time? Until the boat scene when you were in college?"

Angeal chuckled quietly. "Yes. Nearly everything that happened in the first book was accurate. A few scenes got a little exaggerated, and Genesis obviously enjoyed being able to phrase Ignis' lines perfectly even when it wasn't always how he phrased things, but in terms of the events the characters went through, yeah."

"Whoa. So why'd you…" Zack frowned, unable to finish his question. "This is gonna be another spoiler, isn't it?"

"I haven't read the sequel, but probably," Angeal confirmed solemnly.

"Ignis finally lands his dream job then?" Zack guessed, not waiting for either to nod in confirmation. "And…so what? That's great news, isn't it?"

"I was happy for him," Angeal said with a sigh. "I still am, even after everything. It just so happened his dream job included a lengthy long book tour. Between travel and doing workshops and conferences, the contract was set to take up to two years. And that was before he had a sequel."

"You couldn't go along or visit?"

"It's more complicated than that. I didn't want to stop working just to go with him—it's not who I am. Visiting would've been fine for me, but Genesis has always been…needy. I'm sure we could've worked something out, but he made it clear he didn't want to feel tied down to someone who wouldn't be around regularly."

"Ohh," Cloud muttered, nodding in sudden understanding. "That sounds just like Ignis."

"We both…we said a lot of things the day he left, and that was that. We haven't spoken since."

"I just read the argument," the blond said, wincing at the thought. It hurt even more to think about in this new context. "It was harsh—pretty obvious neither of them wanted it to end that way."

"I'm sure parts were dramatized to keep things interesting," Angeal reasoned with a shrug. "I honestly don't care either way. I have no interest in reading the book, or talking about him at all—unless you have more questions."

"Nah, I mean—we already know tons more about your old relationship than you do ours just from reading the book," Zack rationalized. "It's not fair to grill you about it more. Why don't you ask us questions instead? If there's anything left we haven't talked about."

"Reading that book doesn't mean you owe me a detailed report on your previous relationships. I _like_ how things are—how I get to learn more about you both as things come up naturally. Unless there's something on your mind that you _want_ to discuss now, I'd rather keep doing what we've been doing."

"I do have just one more question then, if that's okay," Cloud said slowly. Angeal nodded in silent permission. "How come we never met him? You must've been with him back when we first met—you didn't bring him around to the company get-togethers like Zack did with me?"

Angeal chuckled. "Genesis actually worked for ShinRa back then. He always saw it as temporary though, so he thought he was above company gatherings. I guess he was right."

Zack didn't hide his surprise. "Wait, he worked there too?"

"Yes. I'm sure I introduced you back when you were still an intern—he used to come by my office for lunch most days."

"Oh yeah…I remember, he was the good looking guy who worked in marketing before my promotion, right? Weird taste in red jackets?"

"Yes."

"I didn't realize it was the same dude," Zack admitted. "You'd said your ex was a writer, so I figured you and that guy broke up ages ago—that it was someone else since then."

"No, it was always him. We were together for about eight years," Angeal explained. "And you have to remember, the three of us didn't really start spending so much time together until a few months after he'd already left me. In a way he was the reason this all happened—I had a lot more free time, and any opportunity to go out was better than going back to an empty apartment."

"You did seem down back then," Zack said, nodding along. "That's why I kept bugging you about going out to catch up and all that. Then it was just fun, so I kept asking."

"Exactly. We're well beyond all that now. The time I spend with you has nothing to do with him, and it hasn't for a very long time."

"Relax, Ang," Cloud said, offering him a small smile. "We didn't think at all—I was just curious about him since you were with him so long and we've known you all this time. I guess it's easy to forget that just because we met so long ago doesn't mean we were really friends until the last couple years."

Angeal's stern look lightened just slightly. "Sometimes I wonder how I knew you all that time and _didn't_ get this close to you right away."

"You were in a long term, committed relationship," Cloud said with a shrug.

"Annnnd I wasn't technically _your_ intern, but I may as well have been. I'm pretty sure ShinRa frowns upon that kinda thing," Zack added with a wink.

"I'm just happy to have you both now."

Cloud and Zack both nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with the sentiment. It was weird to think how their relationship had never felt _lacking_ in any way, yet now felt even more powerful than before with Angeal a part of it.

"Hey," Cloud mumbled, moving in close enough to wrap his arms around Angeal's waist. "I know it was supposed to be you guys' date night, but maybe I can join you in bed? I'm kinda ready to lay down."

"Of course," Angeal replied, bringing his thick arms around Cloud's body and holding him close.

"Where else would you sleep, the guest room?" Zack teased, laughing softly as Cloud shrugged into Angeal's arms.

"I dunno," he said indifferently. "I wouldn't mind if you wanted to get a bit more time alone."

"We woulda gone back to his place if that was what we wanted," Zack interjected smoothly. "And uh. I may want a preview of you guys' big meeting tomorrow, if you're up to it."

Cloud pulled back a bit. "You told him about that?"

"I may have mentioned it. I told him I didn't know how serious you were though," Angeal said, looking adorably bashful.

"Very serious. I'm honestly surprised it hasn't happened already."

"I'm not. Running your own business with no extra help is a lot of work," Zack said, hands on his hips. "You'll probably get there tomorrow and realize you don't have time."

"Let me guess—that's why you want a preview?"

"What kinda boyfriend would I be if I didn't help you guys out? If there's some kink or roleplay you wanna do, I'm gonna make it happen."

"So incredibly thoughtful of you," Cloud muttered, biting his lower lip to prevent himself from laughing at Zack's bright, goofy expression. Even with that ridiculous grin, he looked too damn handsome for his own good. Clearly he knew he was about to get his way…he almost always did. "What do you think, Ang? You wanna put on your apron and show him your sexy baker look?"

Angeal raised both brows. "That depends. Are you going to dress up too?"

"Uh, I thought we were just having office sex when we were talking earlier, I didn't know it was a _scene_ or whatever. It's not like I have a delivery uniform."

"I might have something fun in the closet for you," Zack said casually. "Wait till you see the shorts!"

He was already headed toward the bedroom, leaving a flustered Cloud and bemused Angeal in each other's arms.

* * *

It wasn't that he hadn't had an amazing night with Zack and Angeal…it was just that the book was _really good._ He'd been fully distracted straight through till the moment he closed his eyes and drifted off, but now that he was awake again, he had to know…

"Seriously? You don't feel awkward reading that now?"

Cloud lowered the book just enough to glare as a sleepy Zack settled into the chair beside him at the kitchen table. "Don't act like you're not planning to read it still."

"Well, yeah, I guess."

"It's not that I want to pry," Cloud added quickly, feeling apologetic as his eyes shifted to Angeal—he was only a step behind Zack, looking just as tired. "If it makes you even a little bit uncomfortable, I'll stop."

"Please, it's fine," Angeal insisted with a drowsy chuckle. "There's a big difference between a true story and based on a true story. I _would_ prefer if you stopped picturing me as Gladiolus though."

"How can I stop now? He described those chiseled biceps to the T, right up to that little scar you have!"

"…Well, if you could not picture it as me with _him_ , at least, that would ideal."

"I don't even know what he looks like."

The light bulb turned on in his head at his own words, and he quickly had his bookmark in place as he flipped to the short author's biography…There hadn't been one in book one, and he'd been too excited to get started on this book to bother with it.

Sure enough, there was a small picture—an incredibly handsome man with red hair and a coy smile, eyes bright enough even in print to pierce him as he eyed the page.

"I see what you mean about weird red jackets," Cloud offered, shrugging off his other thoughts as both his boyfriends laughed softly. "But no, he looks nothing like Ignis—their hair is completely different, plus he's not even wearing glasses!"

"He wears contacts," Angeal revealed. "The glasses are based off the style he used to prefer."

Cloud had already flipped back to the page he'd left off on, taking one last bite of toast before continuing to read. Breakfast was never his favorite anyway. "Only one more chapter to go."

"Holy shit. I thought you said you had like a hundred pages last night?"

"I've been up for a while now."

Zack blinked in surprise. "You never voluntarily wake up early. Maybe I'll take it to work with me then, if it's that good. I think one of my meetings got canceled, so I can probably swing a long lunch."

"I could stop by with some take out if you want instead," Angeal offered. "It's a busy day for us, but we'll have to take a break to eat too."

"Holy crap," Cloud muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"Fictitious make up in the end?" Zack guessed eagerly, Angeal scoffing in response.

"Uh, not exactly. I shouldn't say, it's a big spoiler."

"Nah, it's fine. I'm gonna read it no matter what, so you may as well just tell me."

"Ignis goes off and spends the last hundred pages after that fight basically realizing his dream isn't what he'd imagined, not without Gladiolus in his life…But he's too proud to call. Too stubborn to apologize," Cloud explained slowly. "At one point he just accepts that's how it's going to be, and it just ends there, out of the blue."

"Not entirely shocking," Angeal mumbled.

"Yeah, but then after two _blank_ pages, there's a super short epilogue. I don't even know if you can call it that, it's only a few lines. I guess it's more like a teaser for the next book."

"What's it say?"

" _It took months of denial, weeks of self-doubt, and days of pacing…but at the end of it all, there was really only one conclusion, Ignis realized. He took one last deep breath, finally ready to share that conclusion with the only person who truly mattered,"_ Cloud read carefully, _"And then he knocked."_

"…That's all?" Angeal asked skeptically.

"Well, he probably doesn't know how the story continues yet—he hasn't shown up at your door like this," Cloud concluded with a frown. "I think it means he will though."

"No. Genesis knows how to write a dramatic story—it's who he is. None of that means he'll literally turn up at my door."

"But what if it does?"

Angeal considered it. "I would hear what he had to say, be as amicable as possible in response, and send him on his way. He's just not someone I'm ready to have back in my life right now, even as a friend."

"But what if whatever conclusion he reached is heartfelt, and—"

"Cloud," Angeal interjected, shaking his head sternly. "What do you want me to say here?"

"I, uh…I guess I don't know. It probably sounds weird, but I really want things to work out with Ignis and Gladiolus. They deserve to be happy, and if they'd just communicated a little better in the end there—"

"And you'd still want that even if, hypothetically speaking, you found out Gladiolus had spent months and months soul searching before finding love again?"

"He found love again?"

"Didn't he?" Angeal asked, like it was the simplest thing. He looked from Cloud to Zack, the certainty on his face bringing a smile to both of theirs. "When you first suggested dating, I wanted it to work, but I was sure I'd just end up being a third wheel. Now though…I can see I was wrong. What we have works. I can say without a single doubt that I love you both."

"I feel the same," Cloud told him.

Zack smiled his best smile, looking from one boyfriend to the next. "Me too. I love you both."

"Then forget about Ignis—let's just hope he found his own happiness, and focus on our story from now on."


	4. Chapter 4

Number two.

Genesis’ second book, his second opportunity—and _again_ he was number two on the coveted Midgar Times’ Best Seller’s List.

“ _Sephiroth,_ ” he grumbled, letting out a dramatic sigh. Of course his nemesis would be number one again. It was surely no coincidence that Sephiroth’s newest release, _SOLDIER_ , had been bumped up two months to launch the same week as his _LOVELESS_.

The capitalization in the title…that was clearly no coincidence either. How did he even know? They _did_ share a publisher. Perhaps someone had leaked the word, hoping to start a trend among their authors.

Whatever it was, Genesis was less than pleased.

It didn’t help that their book tours were joint through their publisher, officially extended now that both releases were an international success. Every day they would sit on a panel at the same table, signing books and meeting fans—the occasional press conference or workshop. They’d spend a few days in one town before moving onto the next, mapping out entire continents in their travels.

Almost every bit of it was what he’d hoped for all these years—having his work _out there,_ accessible to the masses (the loyal, adoring fans didn’t hurt either).

Something felt off though, even after more than a year living out his dream. And it wasn’t just that he had landed in second place again…It was that same nagging feeling that had been there since he left Midgar, haunting his every step.

“Genesis?”

He groaned, but inwardly—there was no need to make an outward showing of how he was feeling. They were in public after all. His nemesis had become a regular part of his day to day, though he much preferred the moments when they were both too busy to interact. It was tricky to appear ‘busy’ on the way to and from the bookshops though, particularly when they were stuck riding in together.

“Planning to gloat?” he asked, hoping he looked as unaffected as he sounded.

Green eyes blinked, filled with confusion. “Gloat?”

“I just read the list. You’ve hit number one, again.”

“I see.” Sephiroth seemed…indifferent, which was infuriating. “I was unaware. I just wanted to congratulate you on a successful release.”

Genesis raised a skeptical brow. “Truly?”

“Yes. Publishing a book is an accomplishment in itself, but a second shows you have longevity in this field. I confess, after reading your first, I suspected as much about you.”

“…You did?”

“Yes. It was unlike any I had read in the past—I admire your way with words.”

“Is this your way of patting me on the back? Telling me another few years practice and maybe I’ll achieve your level?”

“I believe you have surpassed it already.”

“I knew it! You just _had_ to say something, didn’t you? Couldn’t resist taking the opportunity to remind me that I’m not—” Genesis closed his mouth abruptly, Sephiroth’s words sinking in mid-rant. “What type of game are you playing at?”

“Game?”

“Saying something like that to me. I’m number two, you’re number one—it’s clear I’ve not yet surpassed your level. Why would you say such a thing, knowing I’m well aware of the facts?”

“I prefer to form my own opinions. I do not need the Midgar Times to rank our books. Your characters’ plights were far more relatable than mine.”

“Well, you’ll get no argument from me on that,” Genesis responded smoothly. “Not to say your characters were flat—quite the opposite. But _really_ , enhanced super humans?”

“You read it then?” Sephiroth asked, the hint of a smile on his face.

Genesis was quick to wipe that away. “Of course. I had to scope out the competition.”

“I see. Would you like to meet for lunch and discuss it further?”

He snorted. “You want to meet during our sole break of the day to discuss your characters?”

“I have no preference about the conversation topic—you are free to pick another if you’d like.”

“You’ve barely said a single word to me this entire book tour. Why would you suddenly want to get a meal together to discuss whatever random topic I want?”

“I find you interesting. Is that not reason enough to ask you on a date?”

“A date?” Genesis repeated, trying not to appear as surprised as he felt.

“Yes.”

He only missed a single beat before realizing Sephiroth was completely serious. “That was _the_ worst date invitation I’ve ever received. You’re a romance author for the Goddess’ sake! I had no idea that was what you meant!”

“Does it change your response now that you do?”

“Well, yes, actually,” he decided on impulse. “I’d love to meet you for lunch.”

“We’ll step out together during the allotted time then.”

“I look forward to it,” Genesis replied…and he was pretty sure he meant it, too.

\-----

_Stop being ridiculous,_ he scolded himself, taking the time to splash some water on his face.

It had been…an interesting morning. Sitting next to Sephiroth all day had never been enjoyable—the man was gracious toward his fans, but his entire being seemed to emit a constant flow of obnoxious superiority.

Today though, had been different. Between the stolen glances, small smiles, and casual banter…he’d taken the first opportunity to run to the restroom right before their lunch break, needing a moment to recollect himself.

Genesis was actually _nervous_ about their lunch date.

Not because who his date was. No, he refused to be intimidated, even by _the_ Sephiroth Crescent. More so, it had just been _so long_ since he’d gone on a date of any kind. He hadn’t exactly been abstinent since leaving Midgar, but there was a big difference between a casual night out and an actual date.

He’d been with Angeal for nearly eight _years—_ since they were just freshmen in college.

_Angeal…_ Definitely not what he wanted to be thinking about now, right before his date. It was bad enough that man still haunted his dreams and every day.

Genesis dried his face with a paper towel, reminding himself _it’s just lunch._ It wasn’t like they had time for some romantic outing at a nice restaurant. They’d have to grab something quick and hope for enough time to have a decent conversation…the expectations were low enough to make this a stress free encounter. In fact, he expected nothing to come of it at all—it would just be a pleasant distraction to an otherwise uneventful day.

“Mr. Rhapsodos!”

One of their assistants, waiting right outside the bathroom for him. Lovely…It was like his publisher had no faith in his ability to keep track of his own schedule. There must be _some_ method to their madness though—Turk Publishing House was by far the most successful on Gaia, after all.

“Yes?” he responded shortly. Polite enough.

“Your lunch break starts in three minutes, but I received the approval for you to head out now if you’d like,” she explained quickly. “We’ll meet back here and do another two hours of signings, assuming the line holds up, and then you’ll be free for the evening.”

“Is there anything else?”

“No, sir.”

“I’ll need you to step aside then,” he said, a relatively nice way of saying _you and your silly schedule folder are in the way of me and my date._ It wasn’t her fault she had a terrible job.

Sephiroth was at the end of the hallway, openly observing the entire interaction. By the time she said _oh_ and stepped aside, Genesis was being greeted by a tiny yet surprisingly understanding smile.

“They mean well,” he offered, though Genesis’ scoff broadened his smile slightly. “I do find it tiresome, having the Turks managing every detail of my day.”

“It must be worse for you—their top star! I can only imagine.”

“I suspect it’s the same, I’ve just been subjected to it for longer.”

Genesis stole a glance behind them as they left the bookshop. “Are they…following us?”

“Yes. I apologize—they try to remain discreet, but it’s usually quite noticeable. Their suits do nothing to help them blend in with the masses.”

“It’s nothing for you to apologize over. I _am_ curious about why though—I can’t recall being followed in my free time.”

“There was an incident with a somewhat obsessive fan once,” Sephiroth explained lightly. “It involved my hair and a pair of scissors.”

His jaw dropped slightly, eyeing over those beautiful silver locks before meeting his date’s eyes. “How awful!”

“It was. Initially I allowed the Turks to put an escort on me voluntarily. I can take care of myself, but the incident went public, and I understood they did not want to appear negligent.”

“Initially? I assume we’re well past that point, then?”

“Correct. I did not read the fine print of my most recent contract for this book tour. I made the mistake of believing my agent when he indicated the terms were identical to the previous, aside from the pay increase.”

“To what end though? What could they possibly gain from following you after all this time?”

Sephiroth shrugged lightly. “Sometimes I hypothesize my agent believes I am a lab rat—that he has the right to subject me to social experiments.”

“Which agent do you have?”

“Barnaby Hojo, for now. He’s always found it peculiar how someone of my social nature could be successful in our field.”

Genesis’ eyes lit up curiously. “What does that mean?”

“You’ve already noticed, no doubt—your comment earlier suggested agreement. I write romance novels, yet struggle to ask someone on a simple lunch date. You could say I envy my leading men and their ability to make their intentions clear.”

Sephiroth had come to a halt, a clear indication that they had arrived at the destination he’d had in mind—a cozy looking café, it seemed, which was right up Genesis’ alley.

“One of the assistants had recommended this café, so I thought we might try it. They serve sandwiches and pastries in addition to their drink menu.”

“That sounds lovely,” Genesis said, silently determining that _yes,_ Sephiroth had a point about himself.

It was impossible to get a good read on the man.

They remained silent as they waited in line, which didn’t help. The menu wasn’t particularly extensive, so he’d made his selection almost immediately for once. That left him with far too much time to think over what they’d discussed so far, but with the crowd of people in front and behind them…well, he decided to wait until they were seated before pressing the subject any further.

“What _are_ your intentions?” Genesis asked, cutting right to the point when they had a bit more privacy. “I’ve spent plenty of time with the other authors and they all say the same things about you. That they’ve expressed interest, but you turned them down. I’d assumed you either weren’t interested in dating, or wanted someone outside of our field—yet here we are.”

“…You’re clearly talented and intelligent—attractive, as well. Additionally, you are the first new author to join any of these book tours and not make any advances toward me. I find that refreshing.”

“To be honest, I was curious about you initially, but I’d assumed you were something of a snob—too high up on your number one pedestal to mingle with the rest of us.”

“And now?”

“Well, I’m here aren’t I? I’m not too proud to admit I may have been mistaken. Whether or not that’s a good though, is to be decided still.”

“I suppose that’s a big decision, whether or not being stiff and awkward is worse than being condescending.”

“If it helps, so far I’m impressed," Genesis conceded. "This sandwich is quite nice, and the latte is delicious.”

“I’m glad.”

“And we always have our books as a fall back conversation.”

“That’s right. I could tell you how what I envied most about Ignis and Gladiolus was their long friendship—how it would have been nice to have such a meaningful relationship in my life. Their transition into being more to each other was flawless.”

Genesis smiled faintly, pleased to hear it, but…ready to change subjects. “And I could tell you how I found your general’s obsession with that cadet to be quite compelling, albeit a bit questionable. He held so much power in that relationship, after all.”

“I agree. It was something I saw him struggling with as he began to understand what his feelings meant, and then had to decide what to do with those feelings. I hope that came across properly.”

“Oh, no doubt it did,” Genesis replied swiftly. “And it’s not as if the cadet weren’t a consenting adult— _clearly_ he was just as smitten. I only meant from a strictly physical standpoint, the general could quite literally destroy someone without similar enhancements.”

“Yes, but I think you’ll see in the sequel that there’s far more to the cadet than meets the eye—something the general will discover first hand. I would argue he is the one who truly holds the power in that particular relationship.”

“Ah, you certainly have me eager to find out more. I suppose I’ll have to wait and see it when you have it in written—no spoilers at this table!” he teased, winking at his date. “How’d you stumble upon that storyline, anyway? Is it a parallel to a power struggle in your own life, or perhaps some event from your past?”

“No. It may sound silly, but it’s actually based off a recurring dream I’ve had for many years now.”

“That doesn’t sound silly at all, actually. Inspiration _does_ strike in the most unexpected ways.”

“And you? How did Ignis and Gladiolus first come to you?”

“Ah, well. You could say both books are based on a true story. My story.”

Sephiroth raised a brow. “Which character takes after you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I would think that’s fairly obvious—Ignis, of course. Last I checked, I didn’t have the physique of a perfectly chiseled bodybuilder.”

“You also have beautiful red hair and striking blue eyes, both unlike Ignis’ character description.”

“Hm. Maybe you’re not as bad at this romance things as I’d thought.”

“I hope not. Our break is almost over, and it feels like there’s much more to be said between us.”

“I agree,” Genesis responded. This had proven to be more fun than anticipated…a little more time together couldn’t hurt. “How do you feel about Banoran? There’s a cute little restaurant we passed by on the drive earlier, and I’d love to try it before we move onto the next town.”

“That sounds agreeable. Banora White wine is a favorite of mine.”

“Ah, you have excellent tastes. I suppose we have a date then.”

Sephiroth paused for a moment before confirming, “Yes, a date.”

“Is something wrong?” Genesis asked—he couldn’t quite tell if he was imagining the man’s demeanor shifting or not.

“Not exactly. I just remembered a detail from your book, and I’m not sure if it’s appropriate for me to ask under these circumstances.”

“Well…why don’t you ask, and I’ll just dodge it if it’s not?”

“Your ending,” Sephiroth said slowly. “What happened after you knocked on the door?”

His heart sank in his chest, not sure how to answer. Honesty seemed best. “I don’t know yet.”

“Is that your way of dodging the question?”

“No, I legitimately don’t know. I was imagining that series of events taking place after our book tour ends.”

“I can only hope that our writing methods are similar then.”

“And why’s that?”

“I find it helpful to imagine future events as well, but for me, stories have a way of transforming as I write. Sometimes the ending is a far cry from what I’d imagined in the beginning.”

_Yes,_ Genesis decided…Sephiroth wasn’t completely hopeless at this romance thing after all. Considering how low his expectations had been despite his unexpected bout of nerves, that was a welcome revelation.


	5. Chapter 5

Things had been going smoothly. Sephiroth assumed as much at least, and Genesis had proven to be blunt enough that he was certain he would have been told by now if it were otherwise.

His fellow author was…interesting. So drastically different than what he had come to expect from the others. Not only did he treat Sephiroth like any other person on the tour, he’d also made it a point not to pry for details from upcoming works or ask for discarded plots to use as his own.

There was something special about him. Something vibrant and undefinable.

“Honestly, a _potted plant?_ ” Genesis asked, not hiding his scowl. “Why not just get flowers for once?”

Sephiroth frowned. Even _these_ moments were enjoyable now—the way Genesis would tease him about his failed attempts at being romantic. Now that he understood it was teasing rather than actual criticism, at least. It only took a few dates for that to sink in, and a couple months later, it was something he actually looked to with anticipation.

One of these days he would find something Genesis would truly enjoy. He was fairly certain he was on the right track with this gesture. “I wanted to give you something that would last. Flowers are fragile; they wither and die in a matter of days.”

“Well, when you say it that way I truly do appreciate the thought,” Genesis told him with a smile. “But please. I’d rather not be given a potted plant again.”

The distant look in his eyes didn’t go unnoticed as Sephiroth nodded. “I understand. I will stick to the standards from now on if that’s what you truly want—flowers and chocolates.”

“I didn’t say _that_ ,” the redhead countered, a hand on his hip. “I do find these miscellaneous efforts of yours to be quite endearing. Your characters are so smooth, yet you…It’s adorable, really.”

“I could easily give you all the things I’ve written about over the years,” Sephiroth told him. “It would mean nothing though, as it would be either predictable or expected.”

“Are you saying you didn’t like the candies I got you last week?”

He blinked, wondering briefly if he'd failed to express his gratitude effectively. “No. They were delicious.”

“But it was a standard gift—something I’m sure you’ve written in the past, and something I know I have. Did you find it predictable or expected?”

“No, I was pleasantly surprised.”

“Exactly. Sometimes timing is more important than anything. You’d mentioned how much you enjoyed those hard candies from the bookshop in Junon—candies I happened to have a stash of still in my luggage. I pushed them out of my mind, and sure enough, the timing was right after we’d left the continent. That awful day with the grabby woman, I just knew _that_ was a candy type of day.”

“It was a difficult morning.”

“I know. I still can’t believe the nerve she had! The way she tried to say it was an accident when she spilled her drink on you. Clearly she was looking for a way to get into your personal space.”

Sephiroth shook his head, remembering all too well. “The Turks handled her before things became too uncomfortable.”

“Yes, but still. The point is, I could see you were in a foul mood after, and that’s how my standard little gift became something more meaningful. I wouldn’t call it romantic under the circumstances, but I’m sure you weren’t sitting around predicting it would happen.”

“I see your point.”

“You’re still going to get me random things, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I enjoy your reactions and the conversation that follows.”

Genesis laughed softly. “Goddess help me, but so do I.”

A moment later and the soft laughter hadn’t ceased, instead growing more animated as Genesis shook his head.

“What is so amusing?”

“You!" Genesis responded like it was obvious. "You’re basically the king of romance, and here I am explaining all this to you time after time.”

“I will happily give you that title instead, and accept all the advice you have to offer,” Sephiroth told him simply. “I do find it much easier to write these situations. There’s less pressure when I’m alone with my laptop, imagining these scenarios in a world I’ve created. I can do no wrong under those conditions—any error can be wiped away with the stroke of a key.”

“You could say I feel the same to an extent. It’s a much safer situation, isn’t it? Between editing and already knowing how things will turn out for the characters, there’s not much to worry about.”

“And if a character makes a mistake, it is intentional—not something we have to answer for ourselves. Make up scenes are a simple feat in fiction, when in reality, I would prefer not to need one at all.”

“You worry too much. I can’t speak on any of your previous relationships, but as far as I’m concerned you’re doing just fine with this one.”

“The plant,” Sephiroth said, holding Genesis’ gaze. It sharped almost instantly. “I should have known it would remind you of him. I apologize.”

“...There’s something in my every day that reminds me of him, and unfortunately, there’s nothing either of us can do about that,” Genesis responded with a short shrug. “You don’t owe me an apology, it was incredibly thoughtful of you.”

“I would like to make it up to you somehow.”

“Really, Seph, it’s _fine._ You’ve already given me so much more than you realize. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when you first invited me out, but here we are—a far cry from the short lived distraction I’d expected. We’re at this point because of _you_.”

“I simply enjoy our time together, and wish for it to continue. I’ve never been able to speak this freely with anyone,” Sephiroth confessed quietly. “I wish I had a way to thank you properly.”

“I haven’t done anything,” Genesis responded with a sigh. “If you _really_ want to thank me, then forget about the plant. And if you’re certain that’s not enough, I’ll gladly accept an invitation out to the theatre this evening.”

Sephiroth frowned. It wasn’t exactly his favorite thing to do, but…“I have open tickets, courtesy of the Turks. We can see whatever you’d like.”

Genesis’ smile made it worthwhile.

\-----

It seemed, for once, Sephiroth understood something that Genesis did not. Sometimes an item given to a person was not meant to be a gift, let alone a romantic gesture _._

“Your superhuman general could do better than this,” Genesis teased, tossing the newspaper Sephiroth had handed him onto the kitchen table. “Next time just bring me a cupcake or something—oh, or even better! A hot latte. These mountains are far too chilly.”

And snowy. Their next appearance had been cancelled due to weather, which gave them a day off…but also extended their stay by a day. Anywhere else and that might have been a pleasant thing. He actually quite enjoyed the area—there was a strange familiarity about it, something he couldn’t quite place—but it was clear Genesis wasn’t equally impressed.

“They are a sight to behold though, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Hm, I suppose. I’d settle on pictures,” Genesis concluded with a shrug. “I think the Nibel area has been my least favorite, of all the stops we’ve done.”

“I prefer this over the more summery areas—Costa Del Sol, for instance.”

“That’s only because that suntan lotion fiasco.”

He arched an eyebrow. “…Perhaps,” he conceded—it was either that or the overly crowded beaches.

“If you’d have just let me rub it in _for_ you, it wouldn’t have been a problem,” Genesis said, stepping in closer and kissing the man.

“I would have allowed it if you kept your hands a respectable distance from my waist line. We were in public.”

Genesis hmph’d. “It’s not like everyone isn’t aware of our little fling already.”

“Is that what you call this?”

“I don’t really call it anything—I’ve just been enjoying every minute of it,” the redhead responded smoothly. “That’s what I heard the other authors saying about us.”

“The newspaper wasn’t intended to be my latest romantic gesture,” Sephiroth informed him. “It’s no longer just the other authors putting a label on our situation.”

Genesis arched an eyebrow, snatching the paper from the table. “What page?”

“Six.”

Genesis flipped through quickly, and Sephiroth watched as his eyes went wide. He’d already read it, the headline standing out in his mind.

_SOLDIER Author Loves To Be Loved_

Underneath was a short article, including a photograph of the two—one that should never have existed. It had been a precious moment in his memory, Genesis cupping his face so gingerly…his smile had been so soft and so unlike any other up to that point in their relationship.

The redhead finished scanning the article, lowering the paper with question filled eyes. “You don’t think…?”

“I do,” Sephiroth answered solemnly.

“But _why?_ It’s bad enough they chaperone all our dates—it makes no sense for the Turks to sell us out to the newspapers.”

“I don’t have an explanation. I can only guess they’re hoping to stir up some gossip—to generate additional interest in our publications, thus generating more profits for the publishing house. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear the Midgar Times is actually one of their subsidiaries.”

“We’re authors! Not rockstars or actors. It’s completely unacceptable that they would—”

“I find it unacceptable regardless of what our professions are. This is our private business.”

“Well, what do you want to do then?" Genesis asked. "Even if we try to keep things quiet, they’re always just a step behind you.”

“I intend to keep as low a profile as I can for the duration of my contract and then be free of this mess.”

“What’s that mean?”

Sephiroth frowned. “How do you feel about dining in?”

“…I suppose it’s nice. Practical too, since they don’t enter our personal rooms. I’m more curious what you meant by _free of this mess_ though.”

Sephiroth eyed him for a long minute before taking the leap. It was a secret he'd been keeping to himself for far too long. “I’m considering self-publication now that I’ve already made a name for myself. At the very least, I will not be signing another contract with the Turks.”

“Ah. I can see why that would make sense.”

“You look displeased.”

“I am," Genesis responded with a shrug. "I’ve quite enjoyed this half of the tour, largely thanks to the time I’ve spent with you.”

“Would you continue to work with that publishing house even after this?”

“I would rather not,” Genesis said lightly.

“Then what’s wrong?”

“Where will you be based out of, should you go into self-publication?”

“Midgar."

“I see.”

“We could do this together, if you wished," Sephiroth suggested, having already entertained the thought. "There are other publishing houses we could consider in the city as well.”

Genesis sighed. “You realize what’s waiting for me back in Midgar, don’t you?”

Who was waiting...Sephiroth frowned, knowing all too well. “You intend to go back to him still?”

“I need to see what lies beyond that door, Sephiroth.”

“And if he’s read the paper today?”

“We agreed not to wait for each other.”

“You realize that means he may well have moved on as well.”

“What’re you saying?”

“Perhaps you need to forgive yourself for what’s been said and done in the past. Accept that it’s okay to move forward. I can see that I am no Gladiolus, but surely what we have established together means something to you.”

“ _Sephiroth.”_ Genesis swept in close in a blink, cupping his face and holding his gaze evenly. “The last thing I need in my life is another Gladiolus. I much prefer you as you are.”

“Then why—”

“Do you believe it’s possible to care deeply for more than one person?”

“In theory. I’ve never experienced it myself, but there is a reason I stopped using love triangles as a plot device seven books ago.” He paused, eyeing Genesis curiously. “Are you implying you care deeply for both of us?”

“I’m not implying anything—I’m _telling_ you, I care deeply for both of you,” Genesis said, very clearly.

“But you love him,” Sephiroth concluded.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t love you as well.”

“…I’m not certain how you wish for me to respond.”

“Well, _I love you too_ wouldn’t hurt, but I’ll settle on one of those small smiles. A kiss would do, too.”

The light jokes weren’t enough to soften Sephiroth’s expression this time. “Of course I love you. That’s why this is so difficult.”

“Difficult?”

“You intend to go back to him.”

“I’m not going to leave you, Sephiroth. I’ve learned a lot on this tour, and I can tell you with every ounce of certainty I possess that _love_ is not something I’d be willing to walk away from again. Clearly! Even in separation I think of him and want him, just as desperately as I did all those years ago. But wanting him in no way means I don’t want you as well.”

“And I’m just supposed to accept this?" Sephiroth guessed. "That you love us both?”

“You’re not _supposed_ to do anything—I just hope you can.”

Sephiroth frowned, but considered it as best he could. “You believe he’d be willing to be with you, knowing you are also with me?”

“That’s a bit trickier, I’m afraid. I’m sure he’s had revelations of his own in our time apart—I won’t know exactly how he’ll feel until we’re eye to eye.”

“I will not ask you to choose between us. But if he does—”

“I won’t leave you,” Genesis interjected, more fiercely than before. “I realize what I’m suggesting here is incredibly selfish, but I honestly feel that when you meet him, you’ll understand. And so will he, when he meets you.”

“I would like to accompany you then, when you go to see him again.”

“I’d like that as well,” the redhead agreed easily. “I’m sure I’ll be quite nervous when the time arrives.”

“I’ve yet to see you as anything other than confident.”

“Ah, but that’s simply because I’m good at hiding it,” Genesis admitted with a smile. “Would it surprise you if I said I still get nervous before our dates? That first one in particular, I had to take ten minutes just to recollect myself before meeting you.”

“Did you?” Sephiroth responded, raising both brows. “I would not have suspected it. You always come off as so certain, in everything you say and do.”

He let out a short sigh. “Sephiroth…you’re not the only one who occasionally has no idea what he’s doing in this relationship. I’m just as lost sometimes, wanting to make you happy but not quite certain how to do so. The look on your face throughout this conversation is doing nothing to help, either.”

“The look on my face?”

“You’re upset—rightfully so, and it’s my fault for putting us in this situation.”

“You’ve been clear about your feelings for Gladiolus—”

“ _Angeal._ His name is Angeal,” Genesis interjected, a hand on his hip. “It’s long since time we start referring to him as a person rather than as a character.”

“You’ve been honest about your feelings for Angeal since day one,” Sephiroth finished. “It was foolish of me to believe I would impact that situation. I have no right to be upset hearing that nothing has changed.”

“Have you been listening to me at all?” Genesis asked, fully exasperated. “Everything has changed! I wish there were a way to just _prove_ it to you—make some grand gesture to convey just how much you mean to me…but we’re stuck here in this silly hotel and I’m at a complete loss for what to do.”

“Perhaps we don’t need any grand gestures right now. My room has a fireplace.”

“Pardon?”

“A fireplace. I could arrange for room service. You mentioned a hot drink—I’m not certain if the hotel has a latte on the menu, but I imagine in this climate they have—”

“Hot chocolate,” Genesis finished, brightening up instantly.

Sephiroth was helpless against the smile that appeared on his face. “Yes.”

“So…you’re suggesting we stop talking about this, go to your place, and cuddle up by the fire with hot chocolate?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe you have learned something these last few months,” Genesis said with a wink. “That sounds like precisely what we both need right now.”


	6. Chapter 6

Moving in together.

It was probably a milestone in most relationships, but it all just felt like no big deal to Zack. He still remembered the day he and Cloud decided to live together—they’d both been so damn excited. Moving from the dorms into an apartment had been a major upgrade for them though, since they were still students back then. Technically they were kinda, sorta dating at the time, but it wasn’t super exclusive or super serious yet. By the time it _was,_ living together was just natural to them, which eliminated any awkward adjustment period. All that changed over time was the location, really—it only made sense to upgrade when they were no longer poor college students.

These days they were in a house. A house with way more room than they probably needed. When Angeal mentioned his lease was up and that he was debating turning the unused upstairs space at the bakery into an apartment…well, it only made sense to suggest he move in with them instead. Why not? It wasn’t like he wasn’t around them all the time already, and they preferred it that way.

“Are you sure it’s not too soon?” Angeal asked, taping up another large box.

“Nah. Don’t you kinda feel like you live with us already?”

“Well. If I’m not there, one of you is usually here,” he responded slowly.

“Exactly! It’s not so different.”

Angeal shook his head, heavy with uncertainty. “I see your point, but don’t you think it’s nice having somewhere else to be? What if someone needs a minute alone, or—”

“Cloud and I already got that all figured out,” Zack assured him with a big smile. “We’re gonna make the guest room more cozy—like a second room for whoever instead of the generic stuff that’s in there now. It’s not like we don’t have plenty of other space too. I mean, worst comes to worst, Cloud and I can just use the living room for our games and stuff and we can make the gaming room into another bedroom or something.”

“You don’t need to do that for me.”

“It wouldn’t be for you, it’d be for _us._ It’s not like it’s gonna happen anyway—you’re just worrying too much,” he insisted, nudging his boyfriend. “Things are great! We’re both really excited you’re moving in.”

“It’s too bad Cloud won’t be there tonight.”

Zack nodded in agreement. His boyfriends’ cake business was doing too damn well though—people from further and further away were making them high gil offers that were hard to refuse. Cloud had planned to spend his night driving back from Junon, but Zack and Angeal had talked him into getting an inn room this time.

“Yeah, but it’s better that way. He’s been pulling too many long days—the poor guy needs some sleep, and uh, I’d rather it not be on the road.”

Angeal nodded in agreement, his expression hardening. “I told him we should hire another driver, but he’s still being stubborn about it. With all the extra help in the shop, there're too many orders for him to deliver alone."

“He’s always been a hands on kinda guy—likes to do everything himself if he can,” Zack said, smiling at the thought. It was a good quality most the time, but undeniably frustrating in cases like this. “Just think though—he’ll be home just in time to help you unpack!”

“It’s still pretty early. I should be able to get most of it done tonight.”

“Nah. Wouldn’t it be more fun to let me distract you?” His smirk grew, liking the intrigued look Angeal had on his face. “How do you feel about skewered foods?”

“Skewered?”

“Yeah, like meat on a stick! Veggies too—there’s this new place that opened up, and I’ve been dying to go try it,” Zack explained quickly. “It sounded like something you’d be into.”

“You had me at meat on a stick.”

He laughed. “Alright! Let’s get the rest of these boxes loaded up then.”

Angeal grabbed the packing tape one last time as Zack scanned the room—it looked like that would be the final box. They’d already made two trips, leaving the smallest load for last.

“You’re…moving?”

Zack spun around, eyeing the door they'd left open as they moved several packages out of the apartment. Two men were there—an eerily familiar redhead who had stepped inside, and… _Sephiroth Crescent?_ That hair was unmistakable. He probably would’ve asked why one of his favorite author’s was in his boyfriend’s doorway, but the crashing sound from behind him was more pressing.

“Genesis,” Angeal muttered, staring past Zack. Whatever his boyfriend had been holding had obviously been dropped, the box taking quite a ding. “What’re you doing here?”

“I lived here, once upon a time,” Genesis responded easily. “You could say I thought I was coming home.”

“This isn’t your home. It hasn’t been for a long time now.”

“The door was open.”

“We were on our way out,” Angeal said shortly.

There was a pause, and Zack took the opportunity to step closer to Angeal. It almost felt like he was a spectator—an audience member who had stumbled on stage where he didn’t belong. Except he _did_ belong, he reminded himself. Really he wanted to chime in—crack a joke to lighten the tense mood. His instincts told him it wasn’t the right time though. Clearly having Angeal’s ex-boyfriend appear had thrown him, but it was also clear that it was a situation Angeal needed to address himself.

So he made his presence known, offering his boyfriend a reassuring smile, but making a conscious effort to keep quiet for a little longer. He just shrugged off the apologetic glance Angeal responded with—it wasn’t like he had anything to be sorry about—vaguely aware that the redhead’s sharp stare was taking in their every subtle movement.

“Since when does ShinRa allow you to spend time with interns at home?” Genesis asked finally.

“I don’t work for ShinRa anymore, which is something you’d probably know if you hadn’t walked out of my life.”

“I see. What do you do these days?”

“You weren’t the only one with big dreams, Gen,” Angeal reminded him.

“You opened your cake shop?”

“I’m really not in the mood to play catch up.”

“Is there a better time then?” Genesis pressed, unfazed by Angeal’s dismissive attitude. “Perhaps we can do dinner.”

“I already have plans tonight.”

“With him?” Genesis asked, nodding toward Zack.

“Yes,” Angeal replied, taking Zack’s hand into his own. “Zack is my boyfriend.”

“You’re dating the _intern?”_

“You were working for ShinRa when he signed on officially! He hasn’t been an intern in over five years.”

Genesis scoffed. “Am I supposed to be impressed?”

“I’m not trying to impress you, I’m trying to tell you that you’re being ridiculous.”

“You’re the one dating _the intern!_ Did you have eyes for him all that time? All those years? _”_

“How can you ask me that? I was nothing but loyal to you,” Angeal said firmly.

“What’s happened to you since I left? Surely you could have found someone—”

“I’m not going to stand here and let you talk down to me or imply anything negative about either of my boyfriends—”

“Boyfriends?" the redhead cut in, incredulous. "You have multiple?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“You will _always_ be my business, Angeal. Is it some sort of midlife crisis?”

And there it was. That was too much, and Zack was done listening to it. He opened his mouth, ready to tell this guy to back off, but Angeal caught his eye before the words escaped his lips. His boyfriend shook his head slightly, like he had it all under control still.

Judging by the harsh look on Angeal's face, he’d had enough too. “Get out, Gen.”

“Honestly Angeal! It’s like you lost all sense of reason after I left”

“The only part of what you just said that matters is that _you left._ Anything that’s happened in my life since isn’t open for scrutiny—not from you,” Angeal told him, so sternly. Zack couldn’t help but shudder, unused to hearing his caring, teddy bear of a boyfriend use such a tone. “Just go.”

The stubborn redhead folded his arms across his chest. “I’m not leaving. Not again.”

“It was your choice last time. It’s only right that it gets to be mine this time.”

“Fine. But remember, you were the one who chose to stay.”

“…What’s that mean?”

“You say I left as if I walked out without inviting you,” Genesis replied dryly. “We both know that’s not the case.”

“I told you I couldn’t just drop everything and go. Not like you could.”

“You didn’t even visit! Were you truly so busy you couldn’t manage a single vacation? I bought you a ticket and everything.”

Angeal sighed. “No, you didn’t.”

“Yes, I did. I knew you were too thick headed to accept it outright, so I planted it as a surprise in the book I gave you—our parting gift. The end of Chapter Twenty, right at the climax. I thought by the time you got that far, you’d have cooled down enough to think reasonably—to accept the ticket and come along.”

“Chapter Twenty?”

“Yes. I remember specifically because that’s when—“

“I didn’t read the book!”

For the first time since his arrival, Genesis looked truly stunned.  _“What?”_

“I didn’t read the book,” Angeal said again, more quietly this time.

“My first book— _our_ story, and you didn’t even read it?”

“It’s not like I hadn’t lived it already…I gave the damn thing away.”

“You gave it away?”

“I couldn’t look at it!” Angeal admitted, raking a hand through his hair. “Every time I saw it I thought about you. And us.”

“Surely you knew…you must have realized I wanted you with me, all arguments aside.”

“I thought you did, but you were clear. The night you left felt final.”

“Things will never be final between us, Angeal. I thought you knew that,” Genesis said, softly as he eyed the man. “You were supposed to find the ticket—take some time off from work to visit me during the tour’s Banora stop. I would whisk you off your feet, and somehow by the end of it, I’d convince you to stay.”

“I didn’t know,” Angeal muttered, shoulders slumped.

“Did you read the next book—did you even hear about it?”

“Gen…I heard, but I couldn’t look at that either.”

“Well, there was a scene near the end. A reunion of sorts, beautiful— _romantic._ That was how I’d pictured it with you. Like my leading man, I too suffered the realization that it was all a dream though. I wanted so desperately for it to become reality.”

“You didn’t call," Angeal said, nothing accusing in his voice. It was just a fact. "You never wrote, or emailed.”

“You didn’t either. When you didn’t show up in Banora, I…”

“Gen…”

“I apologize for showing up like this. I can see that you are quite happy now, and for that at least, I’m glad. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“Genesis, it’s not—”

“I’ll show myself out.”

And then he left as suddenly as he'd arrived, jacket flapping in the wind created by his quick steps.

Zack looked up at his boyfriend, but Angeal’s gaze was elsewhere—he was still facing the doorway, but he may as well have not even been in the room.

“You okay, Ang?” he asked, rubbing his back gently.

It took a few minutes before there was an answer. “I’m fine. I’m sorry that happened—and that you had to be here for it.”

“Nah, don’t worry about me. How’re you feeling? _Really?_ You don’t hafta pretend you’re okay. I know you’re not.”

“I don’t know how I feel. Angry, mostly. I can’t believe he’d show up like that and have the nerve to criticize any of the choices I’ve made…and the way he acted like he hadn’t moved on too! It doesn’t take a novelist to see the way that man was staring at him the whole time, like this was all just as unpleasant for him.”

“Sephiroth.”

“You know him?” Angeal asked curiously.

“Uh, kinda. I know _of_ him, at least. He’s an author too—Cloud and I’ve read most of his stuff,” Zack explained, a hand on the back of his neck. “He’s kind of a big deal. They’re even talking about making a movie about his newest book.”

“He was the one from the newspaper then.”

“Huh?”

Angeal sighed. “There was an article in the Midgar Times a while back. It was a gossip piece. I don’t usually read those kinds of things, but I recognized Genesis in the picture. I didn’t realize it was serious enough that he’d bring that man here.”

“Is that a problem?” Zack wondered.

“Of course not. If he’s moved on, I’m glad—so have I,” Angeal said, a bit too insistently. But Zack didn’t comment, instead smiling back when his boyfriend eyed him. “I just don’t think it’s fair for him to act that way when he’s in the same situation.”

“You know…It’s _okay_ if you feel jealous or—”

“I’m not jealous. I’m happier now than I’ve been in a long time. There’s nothing to be jealous about.”

“Ang. I’m not saying jealous like you wish you were with him. I mean jealous like, you feel weird thinking about him with someone else. It’s kinda natural, ya know? You were with him for so long, and—”

“It’s not like that. I’d rather not see him at all,” he explained, sounding so helpless. “It’s easier to just not think about him at all.”

“C’mon. Why don’t we forget these last few boxes and just head home? I’m thinking we just order a pizza or something, maybe raid Cloud’s stash of imported beers,” Zack suggested, taking Angeal by the hand. “We can finish up and do meat on a stick tomorrow.”

“I’m not going to let him ruin our night. It’ll only take a minute to load these up,” Angeal insisted, picking up the box he’d dropped before Zack could tell him it really wasn’t a big deal to change their plans. “The sooner we’re out of here, the better.”

“Okay,” Zack agreed, grabbing one of the boxes as well.

He looked around the near-empty apartment, Genesis’ words coming back to mind.

_I lived here, once upon a time._

No wonder Angeal was ready to go. Seeing Genesis again was probably enough to stir up more than a few memories, but seeing him _here?_ That must’ve been hard. And the longer they stuck around, the more likely it was that his ex-boyfriend would swing back for round two of whatever the hell that was.


	7. Chapter 7

_Where are my things?_

Angeal narrowed his eyes, wishing he could convey the full weight of his annoyance with a look—but it was his phone he was glaring at, and it was entirely unfazed. He debated his options briefly before decided to just get it over with.

_Storage._

That man really did have some nerve. Did he really think Angeal had held onto the few items that had been left behind? Part of him wished he’d thrown it all away, but clearly Genesis knew him better than that. He had too much honor to be that spiteful, even when it’d been nearly unbearable to deal with it all.

Gaia, he’d even stored the furniture _—_ an investment they’d made together, originally. That had all been replaced ages ago, too difficult to see on a daily basis. After being together for so long, they’d had a memory attached to nearly everything that was once _theirs._

_I’d like to stop by to get the location and key. When is an acceptable time for you?_

He groaned, targeting his phone with another harsh look. _I already turned in the apartment key. We’ll have to meet somewhere else._ Definitely not here. There was no need to drag his past all around his new home with Zack and Cloud. _Just tell me where and when and I’ll bring it to you._

There was a short delay, and then… _Meet me at our place. 1pm?_

He let out a short sigh. It was practically that time already. And their place…he knew what Genesis meant. The apartment was no longer his or theirs or anything relevant. Their place was actually just a park they’d once enjoyed together, one where they’d go to do different things—sometimes walk, sometimes eat, or sometimes just to talk. A quiet escape from a busy city.

It wasn’t really where he wanted to go, but…

_Okay._

The sooner they got this all over with, the better. It wasn’t like they needed another reason to argue.

“Seriously Ang, what’d your phone ever do to you?”

Angeal looked up from it, expression softening as he met Zack’s eyes. “It’s Genesis—he started messaging me about the stuff he’d left in my apartment.”

“Anything good?”

“Mostly decorative items and trinkets—he brought everything he actually wanted with him.”

“So he’s making an excuse to see you then?” Zack guessed, too lightly for Angeal’s liking.

“Maybe. I can’t exactly turn him down though. Actually, it’d be nice if he took it all off my hands. I pay a storage fee every month to keep it out of sight. The only problem is he needs the key to get into the unit.”

“Okay. Is he coming by to get it then?”

“I don’t want him here,” Angeal replied simply. “I’m going to meet him somewhere, if that’s okay.”

“Uh, why wouldn’t it be okay?”

“Zack, I know this must be strange for you, and I—”

Zack just laughed. “Ang, you need to relax about all this. I know what kinda man you are. I’m not worried about anything happening with you and him—I know you’re with me now, and Cloud. If you’re telling me you’re gonna go and drop off a key, I believe you.”

“I’m sure we’ll end up talking.”

“That’s fine. I get it, you guys have a lot to talk about.”

“You can come along if you want.”

“I love you, Angeal,” Zack said, so seriously. “I really think this is something you need to do alone though. I’ll be here waiting when you get back.”

“Cloud should be back any time, too,” Angeal realized, frowning. “I should be here to tell him what’s going on.”

“Don’t worry about it. I can fill him in if he’s not here by the time you leave, and you can tell us the rest when you get back— _if_ you want to. Seriously, we trust you. If you just get into another argument and don’t wanna talk about it, we’ll understand.”

It was a little overwhelming, being told everything he needed to hear—believing Zack meant every word of it. Of course, so did _he._ It wasn’t like he would allow anything to happen, or do anything to violate the trust Zack was placing in him. But there was no point in denying it.

Seeing Genesis again had struck more than a nerve. Everything he’d been fighting to forget and everything he’d been pretending not to miss…it was all rushing back, flooding his mind.

“I’m worried,” Angeal admitted quietly.

“About what?”

“That I’ll forgive him.”

“Maybe you need to,” Zack said, rubbing Angeal’s arm reassuringly. “Maybe you need to forgive yourself, too. I only know what I read, and I get that there’s gotta be more to it, but if you were both wrong, then that’s what you gotta do to move forward.”

“You know,” Angeal started, furrowing his brows, “I’m supposed to be the older, wiser man in this relationship.”

“You’re telling me!" Zack teased with a smirk. "I'm supposed to be the overgrown goofball! This wise stuff is tough work.”

“We’ll have to do something about that.”

“Mm, what’d you have in mind?”

“How about I let you bring me to that carnival next weekend?”

Zack’s eyes lit up almost immediately. “Seriously? I thought you had a thing about—”

Ferris wheels. Another Genesis related memory, actually, but not a romantic one. “I do, but I think it’ll be fun.”

“Cloud’s coming too.”

“I hope so," Angeal responded, smiling a bit. "We need to reestablish that you two are the silly ones and I’m the serious one.”

“Not too serious, I hope. There’s gonna be lots of cotton candy and funnel cake.”

“I’ll have some with you.”

“Promise?”

“Promise,” he agreed, hands on his hips. “I’ll just remind us all how unhealthy they are as we eat, since I’m older and wiser.”

Zack chuckled softly. “Ya know…Cloud doesn’t do a couple of the rides. Motion sickness and all that.”

“I can keep him company while you go,” Angeal said with a wink.

“Oh no, you’re coming with me!”

“As long as it’s not the Ferris wheel,” he conceded, smiling fondly as Zack raised a victorious fist. “I think I’ll head out now. Hopefully I won’t be gone very long.”

“Okay,” Zack replied, letting Angeal pull him into his arms.

He held his boyfriend close, taking his time to enjoy the feel of it. There was always something uplifting about Zack’s presence, so vibrant and _good_. It was just what he needed to keep any potential nerves from rising back up, and he found himself hanging on a moment longer when Zack kissed his neck right where he was nuzzled in. Angeal squeezed his boyfriend tighter before he could step away, eliciting more of that light laughter he liked to hear so much.

“Weren’t you going somewhere?” Zack joked, tearing himself away from Angeal. “We’ll be here when you’re back. I was thinking, Cloud’s probl’y gonna be tired still, so maybe we’ll all just spend the night in.”

“Yeah, that’d be nice,” he agreed. Another busy work week would start the next day, so a quiet night in together sounded perfect. “I’ll see you soon.”

Zack just nodded, following Angeal to the door. He opened it for his boyfriend, stealing a kiss before gently pushing him out the door—just the kick Angeal needed. The idea of walking away from what would’ve been a fun and relaxing afternoon and headed off to…well, an inevitable headache? It was feeling less and less appealing with every step he took away from the door. Somehow he managed to get there with a clear head, vaguely aware that it was already 1:15.

Genesis was already waiting, perched on a park bench. He looked up at Angeal, expression neutral. “And I thought I was the fashionably late one in this relationship.”

Normally he would have apologized, but really there was only one thing to respond to this time. “There is no relationship here.”

“Angeal…you don’t mean that,” Genesis said, perfectly calm. “If you’d sit with me, I’d like to apologize for how I acted last night.”

He raised both brows, but did as requested. “I’m listening.”

“I was caught off guard when I saw you with Zack. I’m sure you can understand it wasn’t how I’d envisioned seeing you again after all this time.”

“What’d you think was going to happen after everything we said to each other and not talking for all this time? Even if I’d been home alone, what did you honestly expect?”

“Ideally? I’d have walked in, much to your surprise. Perhaps you would’ve been a bit annoyed or upset, but all that would be forgotten when our eyes met. We’d hug, of course—and then we’d do this. We’d sit down, you’d ask me how I’ve been. I’d regale you with a few tales from the road before inquiring about your last couple years. By the end of it, we’d cut to the chase.”

He tried not to snort, knowing it would just annoy Genesis—it all sounded just like him though. So whimsically unrealistic. “And the man lurking in the doorway?”

“He wasn’t _lurking,_ he was there to accompany me.”

“And how would he have factored in to our conversation?”

“Well, he would have been included in one of the stories I told you about the book tour,” Genesis explained. “His name is Sephiroth, and he’s one of the authors I was traveling with. I would’ve told you how I loathed him—how I completely mistook his odd tendencies to be condescending behaviors.”

“Odd tendencies?”

“You’ll understand when you meet him,” the redhead responded, smiling. “Needless to say, he’s proven me very wrong. I like that about him.”

“So you and he…”

“Yes.”

“I’d guessed as much,” Angeal said, letting out a sigh. “I’m glad, Gen. It’s what I always wanted—for you to be happy.”

“I’m not sure I can truly _be_ happy, Angeal. Not without you.”

“So, what? You’d leave him? I’d leave Zack and Cloud, and we just pretend these last two years never happened?” he asked, sending Genesis a clear look—that just wasn’t going to happen.

“I have no intention of leaving him,” Genesis responded, pausing as their eyes met. “Are you happy, Angeal?”

“Yes.”

“Truly? Your relationship with those two men fulfills your being in a way I didn’t?”

“It’s not like that, Gen,” he grumbled, shaking his head. “Of course you made me happy. When you left, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with. But those two…they pulled me back.”

“But do they give you something more?”

“Does Sephiroth give _you_ something more?”

“It’s not a matter of more or less—just different. It’s not something that can be compared,” Genesis said—the right answer, Angeal realized. “It’s strange, isn’t it? We had that ridiculous argument over two years ago, but today…We’re breaking up today, aren’t we?”

“I think we are.”

“I’d like to have this conversation the way I’d imagined then, if you don’t mind.”

Angeal couldn’t help but smile as he eyed Genesis, thinking it sounded like the kind of thing someone would say in a book. There was no saying no though, and he didn’t want to anyway. He rose to his feet without delay, extending his hand out to Genesis. The redhead accepted with a wink, rising promptly before falling into Angeal’s open arms.

Two years apart did nothing to alter the familiarity between them—the way they seemed to mold perfectly against each other. It felt like they’d stepped back in time, and this was just another of the thousands of hugs they’d shared throughout their lives.

Well, there was one notable difference…and he could tell by Genesis’ irregular breathing that he wasn’t the only one experiencing it.

“So,” Angeal began, not quite ready to let go, “how’ve you been, Gen?”


	8. Chapter 8

Cloud had expected to come home to two boyfriends. Maybe dinner on the table and a few boxes waiting for him to help unpack. They were definitely due to rearrange the place now that Angeal was going to be living with them, too. It only made sense to let Angeal get involved in things like furniture placement—to let him put out his own decorations and make his own mark since it was his home now (officially—it kinda felt like that already as far as Cloud was concerned).

Instead he found himself lying on the couch, legs kicked up and head in Zack’s lap as his boyfriend threaded his talented fingers through his hair. Normally he might’ve fallen asleep just like that, but it wasn’t that kind of day. Not after everything Zack had just told him about the night before.

Damn deliveries. It would’ve been easier to think about all this if he’d been there himself.

“You think he still loves Genesis?”

“It looked like it. Sounded that way too,” Zack confirmed, expression grim.

“He loves us,” Cloud rationalized, sure of that much at least.

“Yeah, he does.”

“So what happens then?”

“I dunno. I mean, the dude was kind of an asshole,” Zack said, laughing softly when Cloud made his _sounds like an understatement_ eye roll. “But they have history. A _lot_ of history.”

“It’s just crazy…they never should’ve broken up in the first place. It was all one big miscommunication.”

“Yep. And if he’d opened that book, we prob’ly never woulda even gotten this close to Angeal.”

Cloud frowned at the thought. “But he didn’t. And we did.”

“Yep.”

“I’m not going to let him go just because this guy decided to stroll back into the picture.”

Zack leaned down, pressing a lopsided kiss to Cloud’s lips. “You’re so friggin’ hot when you get that fire lit up in your eyes like that.”

“C’mon, I’m being serious!” he exclaimed, though the way he pushed Zack away was anything but. “Angeal’s _our_ boyfriend now. Whatever they had, it’s done. Isn’t it?”

“I dunno—technically? But that doesn’t mean a ton. I think he’s pretty torn up about the whole thing.”

“I guess we can just wait till he’s back. Talk to him about it then.”

“Yeah. I just feel kinda bad though.”

“Why?”

Zack shrugged, his fingers twirling through Cloud’s hair more slowly. “I feel like he’s gonna stay with us even if he _does_ loves Genesis still. He’ll prob’ly do whatever we ask him to—if we say don’t talk to him, or if we say it’s cool to be friends or whatever. He’s gonna put us first instead of himself.”

“…What _are_ we gonna say to him?”

“I dunno. I mean, it’s obvious they need to patch things up at least. Hopefully they take care of that today, and if Ang wants to be friends with him after, that’s his choice. Right?”

“Yeah,” Cloud agreed easily. “I’m not comfortable telling him who he can or can’t talk to—that’s their decision.”

“What if they’re not cool with that?”

“Isn’t that up to them too? If they decide they can’t be friends, there’s not a lot we can do about it.”

“Yeah, but what if they aren’t cool with being friends because they wanna be more?”

His heart twisted at the possibility. “That’s not really up to us either.”

“I’m not saying if Ang decides to leave us for him—I really don’t see that happening. I mean, what if he wants Genesis as his boyfriend _and_ us?”

“Uh. I don’t really know,” Cloud responded, his words just as unsure as he felt. He finally sat up, looking over at Zack for a nudge in the right direction. It didn’t take more than a moment to realize Zack was looking at him the same way—like he didn’t have an answer either. “So, you mean…Ang dating Genesis separately, right?”

“Yeah. It’s not like we’d have to date him too, we don’t even know the guy. We can keep doing our thing with Ang, and they could do their thing. Everyone wins.”

Cloud considered it, but shook his head after a moment. It just didn’t seem as simple as Zack was saying. “We spent a lot of time getting to the point where things are this good with us three.”

“You think it’d change anything with us?”

“Well he wouldn’t be around as much, right?”

“I guess. It’s not like we can’t find things to do with just the two of us though, right?” Zack said, his bright smile bringing out the same on Cloud. “I just don’t want him to do everything he thinks _we_ want and then end up resenting us for it, ya know?”

“I don’t want that either, but I don’t want us to say we’re okay with something if we’re not,” Cloud insisted. “We’re gonna have to really think about it first, and talk about it with him.”

Zack chuckled quietly, slinging an arm around Cloud. “Ya know, I thought the same thing when I asked _you_ about having Ang be with us. I figured we’d be talkin’ about it for days before we went for it, but it took…what, ten minutes? Another ten when we asked him?”

“That was easy though,” Cloud argued.

“Maybe this doesn’t hafta be so different.”

“We don’t even know if it’s something he’s interested in anyway," he responded, reminding himself more than Zack. "And if he is, it’s not like he’d be asking to go off and be with some random person he just met. This is a lot bigger than that.”

“Yeah. It’s Genesis—we might not know the guy, but I think we know enough about what’s going on to kinda understand, right?”

Cloud nodded in agreement. “I think we should just be honest with him. I really don’t know how I feel about it still, but if that’s something he wanted, I mean…we could give it a try? And if it’s too much or too weird, maybe we could work something else out.”

“I think that’s our best bet.”

“Genesis might not be into the idea anyway,” Cloud realized with a frown. “Just because we don’t give a damn about what society thinks doesn’t mean he doesn’t. That or he might just not be open to it in general.”

“Uh, considering he’s involved with someone else already too, he really doesn’t have room to talk. I dunno the details, but I’d say he has an open mind about things like this.”

His eyes went wide. “ _What?”_

“He showed up with Sephiroth Crescent.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“Nope, I’d recognize him anywhere. The dude just stood in the doorway though. Actually, we had a moment—we were both mostly spectators, but I remember catching his eyes at one point,” Zack said, chuckling softly. “He looked kinda lost.”

“He must’ve known what they were showing up to do.”

“I guess," Zack shrugged. "The way he kept eyeing Genesis…I dunno. I guess it’s not my place to guess what he was thinking.”

“I can’t decide if Genesis having someone else makes all this easier or just more complicated.”

“Eh, who knows? We probably won’t even see him again unless we go to a book signing or something."

The words were clearly meant as a joke, but they made Cloud frown again. He hopped off the couch, moving toward the bookshelf as a separate thought struck him. There was no way…

“Uh, I was kidding," Zack said, watching his every move. "I dunno if now’s a good time to try to get the dude’s autograph.”

Cloud ignored his boyfriend, snatching his good copy of _To Be Loved_ from the bookshelf—the hardcover Angeal had given him that he treasured without ever reading. The softcover he’d originally purchased was full of creases and imperfections, and so that was the one he chose to continue using rather than do any damage to this one.

“Cloud, what—”

He held the book by its seam, giving it a fair shake. A thin object fell from it pages, circling down to the floor without a sound. There wasn’t a question in his mind about what it was, but he picked it up anyway and looked it over.

“All this time…I was the one who had it, all this time,” Cloud muttered, looking over at Zack helplessly. “If I’d just used this copy when I was re-reading the book—”

“Nothing would’ve changed.”

“Uh, I woulda found this and asked Angeal why he gave me a bookmark that looked like an airship ticket with his name on it,” Cloud countered, his heart sinking. “We weren’t even together when he gave me this.”

Zack walked over to him, taking the book and ticket from his hands. He tucked it back inside, carefully re-shelving the book in its proper place before putting both hands on Cloud’s shoulders.

“There’s no way you could’ve known, and there’s no telling what would’ve happened if you found that. It’s pointless to think about—that’s not the situation we’re in,” Zack told him calmly. “And ya know what? I’m glad you didn’t. I’m _glad_ things went the way they did, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Actually, it’s kinda funny, don’t you think? All this time we thought he got you this epic gift.”

That got Cloud to crack a smile. “I was so sure his gift was way better than what I got him.”

“Nothing’s better than a kiss the baker hat.”

“Not even sexy delivery shorts?”

Zack tilted his head, thinking it over. “I got you those, so I’m kinda biased.”

“Hey, wanna go do some gaming?”

“Uh, that was random.”

“If you’d rather go play dress up so you can decide which you like best, I’m good with that too," Cloud said, feeling like they could both use the distraction. "I’ve had a couple long days driving around—I wanna have some fun."

Zack arched an eyebrow. “What if I wanna go game _while_ you’re dressed up?”

“As long as I’m not the only one wearing a stupid costume,” Cloud agreed with a shrug.

The idea of Angeal coming home to them playing games in weird outfits was oddly appealing, too.

\-----

Cloud woke up to the feeling of a heavy body sliding into bed behind him, quickly followed by a trail of kisses running from his shoulder to his neck, making their way up to the back of his ear.

“Are you awake?” Angeal whispered, warm breath tickling his ear.

“Yeah,” he responded, trying not to yawn.

“How’d the delivery go?”

“It was okay. Just a long drive,” Cloud said, pleased when Angeal spooned up closer behind him. “How’re you doing?”

“…I’m okay. I’m glad you’re home.”

“Mm glad you’re home too.” The yawn finally escaped, and he felt Zack shifting in front of him. “You wanna talk about it?”

“Tomorrow,” Angeal replied, kissing his neck again. “I just want to hold you right now.”

Zack shifted where he was laying. “What about me?”

“I tried cuddling with you,” Cloud reminded him, giving his boyfriend a gentle shove. “You rolled away hours ago.”

“’S not my fault,” Zack insisted groggily. “Early meeting tomorrow. Too hard to get away in the morning.”

“He has a point,” Angeal murmured. “You’re nearly impossible to roll away from.”

Maybe that was an okay excuse. “Hey Ang?”

“Yeah?”

“You guys were talking all this time?” he asked, curious rather than annoyed.

He and Zack had stayed up late waiting, but eventually gave in to their sleepiness. One peek over Zack showed that it was nearly three in the morning now.

“Yes. I sent you both messages when I realized how late it was getting. Zack responded, so I thought you knew too. We had more to catch up on than I realized.”

“That was hours ago.”

“I took a walk, too. Before coming back,” Angeal admitted. “I wanted to clear my head.”

“You sure you’re okay?” Cloud asked.

“I will be.”

The words were hardly a reassurance. “Can I do anything to help?”

“You already are,” Angeal replied, gripping him more firmly. A soft grumble came from Zack’s section of the bed, causing both of them to laugh quietly. “So is he.”

Another yawn escaped him. “Gonna try to get some sleep then. Wake me up if you need me?”

“Of course. Goodnight, Cloud.”


	9. Chapter 9

Everything he’d hoped for, all this time. Angeal had given his undivided attention for _hours,_ and he’d given the same back unconditionally—eagerly, even. And for what? It brought them closer in that moment, but…

_“So this is it?”_

_“This is it,” Angeal confirmed._

Their time apart had been misguided, but it had taught them both the same valuable lesson. Walking away wasn’t an option. Not again. The only problem was, it wasn’t each other they had decided not to walk away _from._

“If you have both moved on—”

“Neither of us moved on,” Genesis insisted, his stare sharpening as he met green eyes. “That much was clear to me.”

“You described it as a breakup scene,” Sephiroth reminded him, curious.

“It _felt_ like a breakup scene—like we didn’t say goodbye properly two years ago, and this was our way to do so now. But breaking up doesn’t mean it’s over. I’m certain we’ll be together again when the time is right. We did discuss being friends for now—I assume you’re okay with that?”

“I already agreed to more than that.”

“I just wanted to make sure you hadn’t changed your mind. I understand this is already more than you signed up for with me, so if you were having second thoughts—”

“I am not so selfish. There is a reason I agreed to this when you asked,” Sephiroth said calmly.

“And that is?”

“This situation may be new to me, but you forget I’ve studied love for many years now.”

Genesis snorted. “I suppose you could call it studying. And what is it you learned that made this so easy for you to agree to?”

“Love is an inexplicable and unstoppable force. My feelings do not disappear simply because you care for him, just as yours would not go away even if I wished it to be so. Agreeing was the logical choice for both of us.”

“Very wise of you. It was Angeal’s only terms, you know—about being friends. He wanted to talk to his boyfriends first to make sure they were okay with it. I can’t help but worry they won’t be quite as accepting as you. They may be wary of my intentions.”

“Wouldn’t they be right?”

“I suppose. Either way I won’t go down without a fight. I’m planning to go meet Zack for lunch actually, to find out for myself,” Genesis revealed, taking in Sephiroth’s reaction carefully. There wasn’t much surprise, but he didn’t look happy either. “It turns out the young man who works as his secretary used to work with me. I’m officially on Zack’s schedule for the day.”

“Angeal is aware of your plan, I hope.”

“Not exactly. I’m sure he won’t mind though. It’s not as if I’m planning to be particularly nasty—I just want to make sure everyone’s on the same page.”

“And the other man?” Sephiroth inquired.

“All I know about him is that he works with Angeal now. He was part of the reason Angeal was able to start his business,” Genesis explained with a shrug. “It makes more sense for me to approach Zack first. I don’t _know_ him, but I’ve met him on more than one occasion.”

“Perhaps I should fit myself into Angeal’s lunch schedule.”

“...To what end?”

“To ease any hesitations he or this other man may have,” Sephiroth responded. “I’ll be meeting him one way or another, and I must admit…I’m curious.”

“It won’t be strange for you to go alone?”

“It will be, but I’ve been subjecting myself to strange situations for years now on these book tours,” he replied amicably. “Perhaps I’ll bring a gift.”

“A potted plant?” Genesis guessed, smirking as Sephiroth seriously considered it. “He’d actually like that, but I’m not sure it’s appropriate to bring into a bakery.”

“Coffee then?”

“Hm. Two sugars, no cream—I’m not sure if the other man likes it the same way or not.”

“What’s his name?”

“Cloud,” Genesis responded distastefully. The way Angeal had described him was almost poetic, which was strange coming from a man who usually spoke so simply. He was definitely curious to meet his _Cloud_ as well, but testing the waters with Zack first still felt like the better option. “He may not even be there. From my understanding, they handle different aspects of the business.”

“I will be prepared for both possibilities then.”

“Then we have a plan. I’ll head over to ShinRa now and meet you back here in a couple hours?”

“I look forward to it.”

Genesis smiled, bringing his lips to Sephiroth’s. It really was remarkable how understanding this man was. One more kiss, he decided, taking it before headed out the door. It was very tempting to stay with Sephiroth just a bit longer, but it turned out Zack was just as big of a deal as Angeal had made him out to be with ShinRa. It was sheer luck that he’d been able to squeeze himself into that man’s schedule at all, assuming his secretary was being honest.

_ShinRa Electric & Power Co._

It was somewhat eerie walking up to the main doors of this tower after so long. How many years had he wasted here, planning and plotting his great escape?

_None,_ Genesis realized for the first time.

His time with ShinRa hadn’t been a waste at all…it was more time with Angeal who had been such a big part of all his plans. Sure he had other works—separate stories written, and others on his agenda—but it was _their_ story that had given him the opportunities he’d always wanted.

For once he didn’t walk through the door with his head held high or an air of confidence. Really, he needed to keep his head down low for a change. Clearly he might be recognized by former co-workers, and he didn’t have time to deal with that nonsense.

Floor 32. Marketing was only down the hall from his old department. He was sure he was headed the right way when he heard two familiar voices.

“What? I just checked my schedule this morning.”

“Sorry, Zack. There was a last minute call this morning and it sounded urgent. I sent you a memo when I updated your schedule.”

There was a short pause…or grumble. Either way he couldn’t quite make it out, so he walked up toward the outer office space with his best smile.

“Nah, it’s fine, Kuns,” Zack insisted, patting his secretary on the back. “Do me a favor and call Cloud? I was gonna swing out to meet him.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

He looked up from his secretary, catching sight of the redhead as he approached. “Genesis.”

What a difference a proper business suit made on this man. Genesis looked him up and down casually, trying not to let his eyes linger. Zack looked taller somehow, carrying himself with an air of sophistication that Genesis hadn’t been prepared to see. It was a far cry from the jeans and t-shirt just two days ago, and a farther cry from Zack-the-intern’s look. Not that he didn’t look nice back that—Genesis hadn’t really taken note though. Most interns dressed in a simple button up shirt and black pants, and he was sure Zack had been no different.

This was a dark, pressed suit—designer, no doubt. A deep purple shirt that complimented his skin, and a tie that made his eyes pop. Even his hair looked different, tied back neatly with just a strand free to frame the right side of his face in the most elegant manner.

“Zack,” the redhead responded finally, extending a hand. The younger man stared at it for just a second before reaching out to shake it, his grip firm yet inviting. “I apologize for disrupting your plans.”

“You’re my lunch meeting?”

“That’s correct. Kunsel was very accommodating when I called this morning,” he explained, nodding as Kunsel gave him a kind smile. “He used to work for me when I was employed here.”

“I didn’t know about this until just a minute ago, so I don’t have—”

“I ordered your usual,” Kunsel cut in. “It should be here in the next ten minutes. I’ll bring it in if you two want to get started.”

“Thanks, Kunsel,” Zack said, giving the man a warm smile. From the way Kunsel smiled back, it looked like these two had a great working relationship at the very least, much to Genesis’ approval. Kunsel had always been an efficient young man, not to mention a well-informed one. “Come on in.”

“Thank you, Kunsel,” Genesis muttered, exchanging another nod with the man as he followed Zack into the office.

_The_ office. He’d once been on track to head this department once, so it was like a snap shot of the life he may have had. A fancy desk, top of the line computer system…very modern décor, not to his liking, but nothing to scoff at. Genesis didn’t dwell on it further, taking his seat across from Zack’s desk as the younger man took his own seat. It was all very nice, but clearly life in the big business world had never truly been for him.

“So, what can I do for you?”

“You can _relax,_ ” Genesis answered with ease. “I didn’t come here to talk business, I came here for personal reasons.”

“I have no business with you, so I already figured that much out.”

“I’ll cut to the chase, then. I am still very much in love with Angeal.”

“I know,” Zack responded, shrugging. “He loves you too.”

“He told you that?”

“He didn’t need to.”

“I see,” the redhead mumbled, letting out a short sigh. “I don’t know how much he’s told you about me, or what you know about our relationship, but—”

“I know enough,” Zack interjected.

“Then you know what kind of man I am. I won’t let him go,” Genesis said, more fiercely than intended. The way Zack cut him off had been somewhat irritating though. “He’s agreed to attempt a friendship with me, contingent on your approval. And your other boyfriend’s.”

“So, you thought coming here would help get that approval?”

“Well, yes. I came to tell you I’m not going anywhere—not again.”

“Look, we trust Angeal completely. He got back late last night so we didn’t get to talk to him about it, but Cloud and I already agreed it’s not our place to tell him who he can or can’t be friends with,” Zack said, eyeing him critically. “Why are you really here?”

Genesis couldn’t help but smirk. So much for _laid back and fun,_ like Angeal had described. A businessman needed to be a good judge of character though, and he was right—so far all Genesis had done was beat around the bush.

“I intend to pursue more than friendship as soon as I think he’s open to it. With our history, I don’t think imagine that taking long.”

“…I could just tell him _no—_ say I’m not comfortable with this friendship. That’s all it would take, and this would all go away,” Zack said, his fingers popping apart in a mock _poof._ “You know how he is—how loyal. So why come here and tell me that?”

“Because I know you love him too.”

Zack tilted his head at that, almost adorably as he tried to figure out what that meant. A knock on the door bought him time, Kunsel swinging in with two bags and a drink holder. More thank you’s were exchanged, the secretary quickly leaving the two in peace.

“Sandwiches,” Zack said, gesturing toward one of the bags. “Looks like he got you one too.”

“He asked me about my preferences this morning,” Genesis admitted, much to Zack’s amusement. “You have a very diligent secretary.”

“I know it. He’s a good friend, too.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Genesis responded shortly. He wasn’t particularly interested in lunch just yet. “I’d rather hear what you have to say about my intentions.”

“I haven’t even talked about this with _Angeal_ yet. Why would I talk it out with you first?”

He raised a knowing brow. “I wouldn’t be the first, would I?”

“Cloud and I might’ve run through some hypotheticals already.”

“And? Do you intend to stand in my way or not?”

“No. Not if it’s something Angeal wants,” Zack admitted, hand on the back of his neck. “As long as you don’t try to step on our relationship, we’d find a way to make it work. That’s assuming he _does_ want it though—like I said, he got back late so we didn’t talk about it yet.”

“Truly? It’d be that simple for you?”

“Are you disappointed?”

“No, not at all. I’d just expected more from you—questions were best case scenario, irritation was worst. You seem indifferent.”

“I’m not _indifferent._ And you know, if you _do_ try to step on our relationship even a little _,_ you’ll get a lot more than irritation from me. But until then, I’m a nice guy,” Zack told him simply. “I know Angeal has a lot to offer, and maybe I wanna see Ignis and Gladiolus make up, you know? I feel like you guys deserve a happy ending just as much we do.”

His eyes widened, and he found himself moving to the edge of his seat. “Ignis and Gladiolus?”

“Uh, yeah. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not just saying all this ‘cause that’s how I want the third book to go. I just mean it didn’t make sense for you guys to walk away like that.”

How delightful. “You’re a _fan?”_

“A casual fan! Don’t give me that look. Cloud and I both read your books, but Angeal didn’t let us know till Cloud was basically done with the second one.”

“Did you find it compelling?”

“Yeah, actually.”

“It’s all true. And you know, it doesn’t even convey a fraction of how I feel about him. Leaving the way I did was—”

“Uh, look. I don’t wanna be rude,” Zack said, glancing at the clock, “but I’ve only got like twenty more minutes. Why don’t we eat and just… _talk?”_

“Ah. Did you come up with some questions, then?”

“No, I mean, let’s talk about whatever,” he clarified with a shrug. He stood up, taking off his suit jacket and tossing it around his chair. His entire demeanor seemed to lighten as he sat back down—his posture too. He looked at ease, snatching one of the bags on his desk and peaking inside. “I’m not saying we’re gonna be best buds, but if you’re gonna maybe date my boyfriend, I’d rather things be cool between us.”

“Understandable. I’d prefer it that way as well.”

“Good. So…what kinda stuff are you into? Other than books.”

Genesis grabbed at the second bag on Zack’s desk, schooching his chair in closer. This lunch meeting had gone much better than he’d dared to hope, and _this_ Zack was far more intriguing than the intern he’d come to bully.


End file.
